




























G P O 












“What’s it all about ? ”—Pa^e 55 












ONE GIRL’S WAY 


BY 

EDITH VEZOLLES DAVIS 

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ILLUSTRATED BY 

JOHN GOSS^ 



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> i 

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> 

BOSTON 

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. 








Ofy^ 

cu^ 


Copyright, 1930, 

By LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD COj 
All rights reserved 


ONE girl’s way 


PRINTED IN U.8.A. 


cfp I-' 

©Clfc 







To 


MY SONS, 

Nobvin and Read 




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CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I A House Divided . . . . 13 

II More Misunderstandings . . 27 

III The Misfit ..... 41 

IV Confidences ..... 55 

V A Peace (?) Conference . . 67 

VI Preparations ..... 77 

VII Departure ..... 88 

VIII Toward the Beckoning East . 101 

IX At Sea ...... 114 

X An Unexpected Encounter . . 129 

XI Lengthening Shadows . . . 140 

XII Where Extremes Meet . . . 153 

XIII In the Bazaars of Damascus . 167 

XIV Prayer Rugs and Predictions . 185 

XV The Plot Thickens . . . 201 

XVI Troubled Days . . . .214 

XVII A Clue ...... 227 

XVIII Suspense ...... 239 

XIX New Complications . . . 252 

XX In a Syrian Garden . . . 267 

XXI A Dreamer of Dreams . . . 284 

XXII The End of the Road . . . 300 


7 
































ILLUSTRATIONS 


“What’s it all about ?” (Page 55) Frontispiece 


Facing Page 


“So that’s what’s the matter with Sis, is 
it^” 

XLi* • • • # • • • 

“You have lost your protector?” 

“Miss Decard, I think, is like the soul of 
America” ...... 


124 

178 

282 


9 





ONE GIRL’S WAY 



ONE GIRL’S WAY 


CHAPTER I 

A HOUSE DIVIDED 

‘‘ Now see here, Anise, wasn’t that Namar 
Harjad, I just saw, dodging out the gate, as I 
came in? ” 

Richard Lyman slammed the front door with 
more than customary force, tossed a heavy 
sweater and a stack of books upon the hall rack, 
and stood regarding his cousin. Anise Decard, 
now halfway up the curving staircase, with a 
sort of paternal severity. 

“ Dodging? ” She turned with an ag¬ 
grieved air. “ I don’t think you could call it 
that, Dick. He walks with unusual dignity, I 
think. He’s straight as a rod.” 

‘‘Yeh — ” agreed Dick, scornfully. “No 
doubt, from carrying baskets of plaster cupids 
on his head, around the East Side, or rolls of 
carpets, or maybe jugs of water, back in Syria, 
when he was a kid.” 

“ You’re guessing now, Dick, and — badly.” 

13 


14 


ONE GIRL^S WAY 


A stain of red was appearing under each of her 
blue eyes, and to hide the disconcerting flush 
which she knew would be a new cause for a con¬ 
tinuance of Dick’s lecture, she seated herself on 
the stairs, pulling off the blue sweater that 
brought out all the lovely sheen of her short 
golden hair. 

“No, I’m not guessing! Rod Drake was 
telling some of the fellows that he saw this 
Namar person last spring when they were in 
New York. They were taking in the East Side 
— slumming, you know — and this Namar 
was peddling rugs from a push-cart.” 

“ I don’t believe it! ” she flared, “ but sup¬ 
pose he did? It’s honest toil, and he’s so — 
so — ” 

“ Mysterious, I guess you mean.” Dick 
hung over the newel-post and looked up at her 
with new severity. “ You’re just the person 
to be attracted to that kind. Anise. You be¬ 
lieve in every one. You think that because 
you’re everything that’s all right, the whole 
world is the same. Its because you’ve never 
bucked up against any but your own sort. Liv¬ 
ing all your life on that Kentucky farm with 
Aunt Letty has given you the idea that all 



A HOUSE DIVIDED IS 

people are alike. You’ll find out that a col¬ 
lege town is full of all sorts and conditions of 
beings. And this hash-slinging Namar, with 
his velvet eyes, his pearly teeth, and his suave 
manners, is right where he belongs — waiting 
on the rest of humanity. Can’t you see he’s 
naturally servile? The fellow’s got absolutely 
no pride. He takes the jeers and the jests of 
the multitude without making the least attempt 
to punish their familiarity.” 

‘‘ That’s just it, Dick! He’s above the rest 
of the crowd. He’s too fine to belittle him¬ 
self with their coarseness.” 

“ Don’t fool yourself. Anise. His life is far 
from being an open book. It’s these people 
who don’t mix with the rest that will bear 
watching! ” 

“ But how can he, when you all snub him? 
I think he’s to be commended rather than cen¬ 
sured. Just because he’s working his way 
through, is no reason why — He can’t help it if 
he hasn’t — ” 

“ Now you’ve got me all wrong, Anise. 
There’s plenty of fellows doing the same thing. 
Fine fellows. You don’t suppose it’s because 
he’s poor, that I’m objecting to him, do you? 




16 ONE GIRL^S WAY 

It’s because he’s different — foreign queer. 
He’s not like us. Let him make friends among 
his own kind.” 

He stood now, his hands in his pockets, his 
dark brows knit closely over stern grey eyes. 
“ He’s got to keep away from you. Anise, or 
there’ll be trouble, and that’s that! ” 

The red was in her cheeks again. Her full 
lips had tightened to a narrow line, but she 
showed no other sign of anger. 

“ Listen, Dick, I don’t know whether or not 
I can make it all clear to you, but I’d like to try. 
It won’t take long,” she added, as he glanced 
hastily at his wrist watch. 

“ Well, I’ve got a little grinding to do,” with 
a glance at the books flung so hastily on the 
rack. “ I can’t see why they make such a to-do 
over credits. You’d think they’d make a few 
allowances for team members. What would 
college be without good athletes ? ” he grumbled. 

“ That’s one thing I want to mention, Dick,” 
she said gently. “You seem to think that the 
only thing important about college life is stay¬ 
ing on the team, belonging to the right fra¬ 
ternity or sorority, and mixing with the right 
crowd.” 


A HOUSE DIVIDED 17 

“ Sure, Anise, you’ve got the idea, but I 
didn’t think you saw things that way.” 

“ I don’t, Dick. It’s you who see college life 
that way — you and Lucille.” 

“ Lucille? She’s in for a lecture, too. She 
seems to get less brains as the days go by. 
She’s drifting into the wrong crowd. All they 
think of is having a good time. They’re soft, 
that crowd — out to do as little hard work as 
possible.” 

He flung out both arms, stretching them to 
full length, looking complacently down at the 
muscle that swelled beneath his striped blazer 
sleeve, as he drew back a heavy fist to each 
shoulder. 

“ They’re here, just because they don’t know 
what to do with their money, and they think it 
sounds cultured to the home town to be attend¬ 
ing college. I’m going to put Dad wise to Lu¬ 
cille when he gets in. But I know just about 
what he’ll say. He’s too busy with his own 
affairs, and that’s what Aunt Dell’s here for — 
to look out for us. But you know how much 
influence Aunt Dell has on Lucille. She’s too 
fond of bridge parties and dancing, herself.” 

“ But Aunt Dell’s so young,” said Anise in 



18 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

defense. “ I don’t think she realizes that Lu¬ 
cille — ” She stopped abruptly. She had no 
intention of criticizing Lucille. 

“ She doesn’t — ” Dick agreed. “ And you 
don’t, either — about this Namar.” 

“ And you don’t, either, Dick,” she inter¬ 
rupted. “ I was trying to tell you that it’s my 
opinion we all want to get something entirely 
different out of our college life, and we can’t see 
each other’s point of view, because we’re sort of 
blind. Do you remember that story in our 
reader, when we were children, about the three 
blind men, sitting beside the roadside when an 
elephant came along? Each took his turn at 
feeling the strange beast, and each reported a 
different verdict, because each had felt a dif¬ 
ferent part of the elephant’s anatomy.” 

“ What’s that got to do with college? ” he 
asked, a bit impatiently, with another glance at 
his watch. 

“ Well, college is like the elephant, Dick, and 
we are like the blind men. To you, college 
means athletics, a chance for honor in the world 
of sports. To Lucille, it means an opportu¬ 
nity for more and better fun. To me — ” She 
hesitated. “ I don’t know whether I can ex- 





A HOUSE DIVIDED 


19 


plain, or not, Dick, but it means something be¬ 
side just learning, though I do want that. It 
means a chance to know people — people who 
are different. It means — ” 

There was the sound of quick footsteps on 
the veranda, the hall door was flung open, and 
a girl, so similar in appearance to Dick that 
they might have been taken for twins, came 
hurriedly in, uttering a little cry of satisfaction 
at the sight of them. 

‘‘ Such luck! Was afraid I’d miss one, or 
both of you. I need some money. Dickey-bird, 
but I’m sure you haven’t enough, so no doubt 
Anise will make up the difference. It’s just 
fifteen, and Dad’ll be here in a day or so, so you 
won’t have to wait long.” 

Dick turned a severe countenance upon his 
sister. “ I thought that ‘ Dickey-bird ’ stuff 
was out, long ago. Silly,” he said, “ but of course 
if you will keep it up, I’m willing to keep on with 
‘ Silly,’ instead of Lucille, and I won’t confine 
myself to the family, either! ” 

“ Sorry, big boy! It slipped out, by mis¬ 
take. That’s always the way, when I want to 
be at my best. But youthful crimes have a way 
of cropping out to disconcert one, at times. 




20 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

You know, dearie, I wouldn’t do anything to 
embarrass you, especially since you’ve made 
the team — my big, strong hero! ” She gazed 
upon him in unaffected admiration. “ Now do 
I get that .loan? ” She turned to Anise with a 
coaxing smile. “ You can spare a little, I’m 
sure, since you don’t play bridge, or — or — ” 
“ Say, look here, Lucille,” Dick interposed. 
“ You take Anise for a good thing. And as 
for me, I’ve just two dollars and I need that 
myself.” 

“ That’s what popularity does for one,” Lu¬ 
cille complained. “ I don’t see why you need 
be so generous with the fellows, Dick. 
They’re the ones who ought — ” 

“ I haven’t time to go into that, Lucille. 
Got to get my work done. The fellows are 
coming over to-night to work on signals. 
Sorry I can’t accommodate you.” He scooped 
up his books, and hastily climbed the stairs. 
At the top he stopped. “I’m warning you, 
Lucille. I think Dad ought to know the way 
you’re carrying on, and I mean to tell him, 
when he comes.” 

“Yes, do, old Spartan! Now that you’re on 
the team, you think we all ought to go in train- 



21 


A HOUSE DIVIDED 

ing, just because you are. Well, I’m going to 
have my f un as long as it’s possible. We’re only 
young once.” 

Dick was no longer listening. They heard 
the slam of his door, and the turning of his key, 
which meant that he would open it to no one, 
until he had mastered a certain amount of the 
next day’s work. Dick was not a good student, 
but he did manage to keep his credits up enough 
to stay on the team, which was all that he 
deemed necessary. As Anise had said, to 
Dick, athletics was the prime attraction of col¬ 
lege life. 

“ Another fond dream dissipated,” Lucille 
remarked, with a shrug. ‘‘ I suppose it’s too 
much to expect of you? ” 

“ Why, no, Lucille, I’ve hardly touched my 
allowance this month. Come up to my room 
and I’ll give you,a check.” 

“ There’s a nice cousin! What a refuge you 
are, in time of storm. Regular old rock of 
ages.” 

They started up the stairs together. 

“ There’s the ’phone ringing. Guess it’s for 
me. Be with you in a second.” Lucille 
snatched the telephone up from the little table 


22 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

on the stair landing, dismissing Anise with a 
nod. 

In her room, Anise stood irresolutely against 
the closed door. Seldom did she enter with¬ 
out pausing to look about her. It was too per¬ 
fect to be real. That was her impression of it 
on the day of her arrival. The ivory bed, with 
its garlands of mauve and green flowers, and 
matching silk spread; the dressing-table with 
its array of ivory and colored-glass containers; 
the long divan, with its cluster of vivid silk, 
satin, and velvet cushions; the wide windows 
with their mauve silk hangings and shorter cur¬ 
tains of ruffled Swiss, all contributed to the im¬ 
pression that the room had been intended for 
some fragile princess, not for Anise Decard, 
accustomed all her life to the rigid severity of 
her Aunt Letty Nelson’s Kentucky farmhouse. 

She had caught her breath that first day, and 
hurried to the window, to hide from Lucille’s 
curious eyes, the mist which she felt thickening 
among her lashes. She hated herself for her 
weakness, but it was something she could not 
control. Always the sight of beauty, did that 
to her — the apple orchard, when its massed 
blossoms hung like pink-tinged clouds just 


A HOUSE DIVIDED 23 

above the earth — the rolling acres of green 
that looked like thick velvet carpets from the 
attic window — the row of tall silver poplars 
along the roadside, that fluttered their leaves 
like the fans of geisha girls she had read of in 
tales of far-away Japan. 

She would wonder then, if perhaps other 
people did not feel the same way. And she 
would watch her aunt, surreptitiously, out of 
the corner of her eye at times, when, the worst 
of the day’s work over, they would sit for a 
while on the wide veranda to rest before the eve¬ 
ning meal. But neither the vari-colored, fan¬ 
tastic pictures formed in the sky by the fading 
rays of the sun among the feathery clouds nor 
the grey mist creeping with stealthy eagerness 
over the willows along the creek, then up the 
pasture and across the garden, seemed to 
awaken in her aunt, the faintest spark of emo¬ 
tion. 

But to-day, she was not thinking of the 
beauty of the room, she was wondering what 
her Aunt Letty would think of it all — this 
new life that was so soft to the senses and yet so 
hard in other ways. For in all her seventeen 
years. Anise had never been so uncertain of 



24 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


herself. She was encountering an entirely new 
set of rules of conduct, and being consistently 
attracted and repelled by those things she had 
been warned against. 

Her aunt had sketched for her, rather briefly, 
the various members of her Uncle Sidney 
Lyman’s household. Sidney, Aunt Letty’s 
brother, was rarely at home, his varied business 
interests keeping him constantly on the move, 
even taking him at times to foreign lands. 

Aunt Della Mayes, Letty and Sidney’s 
younger sister, had been widowed early in life, 
and was wealthy enough to indulge her love of 
travel constantly, but had sacrificed her own 
pleasure, somewhat, to look after Sidney’s 
motherless son and daughter until such time as 
they no longer needed her. 

Of Richard and Lucille, her aunt could tell 
her little, except that both were rather badly 
spoiled, especially Lucille. She was reluctant to 
say anything disparaging of their dead mother, 
but she hinted that Sidney’s wife had been far 
too indulgent, Sidney’s growing wealth being 
no doubt a prominent factor in the matter. 
They had lived mostly at fashionable watering 
places. Letty had begged more than once to 


A HOUSE DIVIDED 


25 


have the children for a visit, but their mother’s 
plans included nothing so crude as a country 
farmhouse. Only once had Letty seen them, 
and that was when, on a visit to New York, 
she had stopped for a short time at the hotel 
where they were staying. She had grieved 
secretly over the artificiality of their life but 
had seemed unable to make their mother under¬ 
stand. 

And then, to Anise’s surprise, her aunt in¬ 
formed her that even Uncle Sidney’s wealth 
could in no way compare to the fortune which 
Anise’s parents had bequeathed her, though of 
course she was too young, as yet, to have the 
handling of it, or to know the details, but her 
aunt wanted her to keep the matter always in 
mind. 

It was a long talk they had that night about 
money being a trust; the great responsibility 
connected with the right management of a big 
inheritance; the proper uses of wealth; how to 
acquire the ability to judge what is real and 
what is worthless, and the danger of becoming 
an easy mark for the shiftless and improvident. 

It was all most bewildering to Anise. Here¬ 
tofore, money had had no part in her life. Her 


26 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Aunt Letty had supplied all the things neces¬ 
sary through her day-school and high-school 
life. But now that she was to live at her Uncle 
Sidney’s and attend college, she would have a 
monthly allowance, a sum so big to Anise, that 
she wondered what use she could possibly find 
for it. 

She moved thoughtfully toward the little 
ivory desk between the windows and picked up 
the long mauve feather pen, then held it sus¬ 
pended over her check book. What would 
Aunt Letty think of Lucille’s growing habit of 
borrowing and her way of forgetting to return 
occasional loans? She knew Lucille’s allow¬ 
ance was even larger than her own. Was she 
encouraging her cousin, by being so willing to 
lend? Ought she remonstrate with Lucille? 
It was a distasteful thought, and she put it from 
her. 

She heard Lucille coming along the hall, to¬ 
ward her room. She bent over the desk and 
dipped her pen into the ink. She wanted above 
all things to keep Lucille’s regard, especially 
since Lucille’s home had become her home. 


CHAPTER II 


MORE MISUNDERSTANDINGS 

After a hasty glance at the check Anise gave 
her, Lucille stuffed it casually into the pocket 
of her red-and-black-striped skirt. 

“ I don’t see how I got along before you 
came, Anise, though, of course, Dick wasn’t 
such a tight-wad then. This getting on the 
team has gone to his head, I’m afraid. He’s 
getting decidedly snooty.” 

“ Oh, surely not, Lucille. Dick’s fine. You 
ought to be very proud of him, I think. So 
many never get the chance, and it is an honor — 
being on the team. It takes level heads, as 
well as strong bodies.” 

Lucille gave her a long, appraising look. 
“ You’ve been doing some heavy thinking. 
Anise. Don’t! It makes wrinkles. You’d 
better wander down to the music room to-night. 
Doris Grayson is going to show us some new 
steps she picked up at the Winter Garden when 
she was in New York last Saturday.” 

27 



28 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ I’m afraid I can’t, Lucille. I’ve got that 
thesis to write, and I’ve been having a hard 
time getting information. The librarian 
promised to find what she could, and I’ll have 
to go over and see if she succeeded.” 

“ What’s your subject? I’ve got a pile left 
over from last year. If you can use any — ” 
She laughed. “ Don’t look so shocked. Anise. 
You don’t suppose all the students write their 
own essays, do you? They take help where- 
ever they can find it. But of course — ” She 
started toward the door, with a toss of her head 
that intimated hurt dignity. 

“You don’t understand, Lucille,” Anise 
pleaded. “ I chose this subject because it was 
so intriguing. I’ve always wanted to know 
more about Oriental rugs. The East is such 
a fascinating place, to me, and the rugs — one 
reads so many interesting stories built around 
them — I was anxious to know more.” 

“ That accounts then, I presume, for your 
absorbing interest in that yellow Harjad.” 

“ Yellow? ” 

“ Yes, in more ways than mere color.” 

“ Oh, Lucille, surely you are mistaken! ” 

“ I’m not. It was he, I know, who reported 




MISUNDERSTANDINGS 29 

to the Dean about our joy-ride last Tuesday 
night. He was selling peanuts and pop-corn 
on the ferry, as we went over.” 

“But how could he, when he works at Ro- 
setti’s restaurant? ” 

“ Well, this was after eating-hours. Guess 
he does that on the side.” 

“ But Lucille — you know that automobiles 
have been banned for the students, and besides, 
just because you happened to see him, that 
doesn’t prove it was he who told.” 

“ It comes close enough.” She turned away 
from the door and seated herself on the edge of 
the divan. “We may as well have this out, 
right now. Anise. You’ve got to cease your 
interest in that Syrian, or Persian, or Greek, 
or whatever he is. I won’t have the girls point¬ 
ing out my cousin, on the campus with an East- 
Side rug-peddler. There was enough talk 
about him before Rod Drake sprang that little 
tale on the public. A girl with your connec¬ 
tions simply must learn how to choose. With 
the future that’s before you, you can’t afford to 
mix with questionable people.” 

Anise had been trying without success to 
seize an opening in Lucille’s hurried speech. 



30 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Now, she lifted her head with a gleam of hurt 
pride in her blue eyes. “ I’m sorry, Lucille, if 
I’ve embarrassed you, but I don’t think either 
you or Dick ought to choose my friends for 
me. 

‘‘ But don’t you see. Anise,” in a conciliatory 
voice, “ you’re only a freshman, while Dick and 
I are sophs. We’re both in a position to put 
you wise to a lot of things — things you’ll thank 
us for later.” 

“ Yes, I know,” Anise assented, gently, “ but, 
how can either of you know the kind of people 
who interest me? ” 

Lucille gave her another long, quiet look. 
“ Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought these queer 
people you’ve been seen with, had been acci¬ 
dents; that you’d been thrown with them, in a 
way, and hadn’t enough experience to know 
how to extricate yourself.” 

“ What queer people do you mean, Lucille, 
beside Namar Harjad? I’ll admit that he is 
different from the others, but I don’t see why 
that need exclude him from my friendship.” 

“ Why, that Dupont girl, for one. You 
surely know she was turned down by the 
Gammas? ” 



MISUNDERSTANDINGS 31 

“ Suppose she was? I like her just as well 
as I did at first.” 

“ But don’t you see, Anise, that it’ll hurt your 
standing to be seen with her? Your name’s up 
now for membership, but if you keep on with 
the sort you’ve chosen for friends, you’ll have as 
much chance of making the sorority, as — ” 

“ Don’t worry about that, Lucille. I told 
them to-day that I didn’t care to belong.” 

‘‘ You — what? ” Lucille sat suddenly erect 
and stared wide-eyed at her cousin. 

“ I don’t care,” Anise went on. “ I don’t 
think it’s fair, the way they do. There was 
Anna Saunders. They rushed her to death. 
Made her think she was going to be taken in, 
and then they turned her down. Dropped her 
flat. They don’t even see her when they meet 
her. I heard she cried and cried about it, and 
wanted to quit college because of it. Imagine 
a girl wanting to give up her college career be¬ 
cause a few girls had made things so impossible 
for her. There are other girls, too, who’ve 
gone through the same thing. It’s a horrid way 
to do.” 

‘‘ Well, it’s what every one has to go through 
with, and if you do get in, you’re fixed.” 



32 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


“ I don’t think the agony of knowing you 
might not make it is worth the honor of be¬ 
longing, Lucille.” 

“ But Anise, what’ll you do? You won’t 
have any friends worth while. You’ll miss all 
the fun.” 

“ I don’t think so. Professor Litton and his 
wife have asked me to tea Sunday, and I’m to 
have dinner next Tuesday with the Dean and 
his wife. He was telling me how fond he’d been 
of my father.” 

“So you’re going in for the literati, are you? 
Next thing we know, you’ll be wearing horn¬ 
rimmed spectacles and writing poetry! ” 

She arose with an air that said quite plainly 
that she washed her hands of her cousin’s af¬ 
fairs. “ I see there’s no use in trying to ad¬ 
vise you.” 

“ It’s kind of you, Lucille. You know I 
thank you. Both you and Dick have been 
splendid, but — ” 

“ But you think you can paddle your own 
canoe, is that it? Well, so long. I’m running 
over to Claire’s for her new records. They’re 
hot. Come down if you change your mind,” 
she added, magnanimously, from the doorway. 



MISUNDERSTANDINGS 33 

It was nice of Lucille to be so interested in 
her, Anise reflected as she turned again to her 
desk. 

‘‘ Anise, dear! ” It was Aunt Della’s voice, 
calling from her room across the hall. 

Anise arose hastily and hurried from the 
room, stopping only for a light tap before open¬ 
ing her aunt’s door. 

“ Have you time for a little chat, dear? 
There’s something I must say to you.” Her 
Aunt Della leaned on one elbow among the 
cushions of a gilt and rose-brocaded chaise 
lounge, and regarded Anise thoughtfully. 

“ Why, yes. Aunt Dell.” 

A beautifully manicured hand indicated a 
footstool beside her. 

Anise seated herself, marveling as she always 
did, in Aunt Della’s presence, at tlie difference 
in her two aunts, Della and Letty. Though 
sisters, there was no least trace of resemblance. 
Della looked far from the thirty-five years she 
guarded so carefully. She was tall and slender, 
with brown eyes that matched hair of a slightly 
darker hue, both hair and eyes throwing into 
instant relief, the soft, transparent skin and 
beautifully molded mouth and chin. 


34 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


Anise admired her Aunt Della immensely, 
but it was not the kind of admiration she held 
for her Aunt Letty. It was a sort of surface 
admiration, like Aunt Della’s beauty. Her 
• admiration for her Aunt Letty was along quite 
another line. It went deeper. You didn’t 
think so much about it, but it was always there, 
a feeling that you knew nothing could change. 

Her aunt’s hands were playing with the long 
silken tassels of one of the cushions, and she did 
not speak for a time. When she did, she rested 
two level brown eyes upon the girl before her. 

“ I’m getting a bit uneasy about you. Anise,” 
she said. “ I’ve been hearing things — ” 

Anise sighed. She suspected just what was 
coming. 

“ What things. Aunt Della? ” she asked, re¬ 
turning her aunt’s level gaze. 

“You seem to have struck up an acquaint¬ 
ance with a rather impossible person. Anise. 
In fact, several of them, from what I hear.” 

Anise flung out both hands in a sudden ges¬ 
ture of impotence, and hurried to the window. 
Was there no one here to sympathize? Was 
there no one in this house who could under¬ 
stand? She caught her lower lip between her 


MISUNDERSTANDINGS 3 5 

teeth in a sudden agony of loneliness. They 
wanted to make her over, make her into the 
pattern of themselves, because they did not like 
her as she was! But she would not be changed 
— not in the way they wished. 

“ I know weTe different. Anise — different 
from Letty, and the farm, but you know, dear, 
it was your parents’ wish that Sidney and I 
take you when you reached college age. They 
knew that Letty could give you the fundamen¬ 
tals of life, and perhaps the physical perfection 
that we in the city could not. But they knew, 
too, that you would need to learn the finer side 
of life — the culture that is so necessary to one 
of your position.” 

Anise hurried now, to her aunt’s side, and 
dropped upon one knee. 

“ Oh, I know. Aunt Della, that you all are 
trying to help me, but don’t you see, I have to 
be myself, I have to find the people, I need. 
Dick’s friends are right for Dick, no doubt, and 
Lucille’s for her, but — ” 

“ I don’t agree with you there, dear, but at 
any rate, they have a certain standing. Don’t 
think, dear, that you are the only one I’ve had 
to lecture. Dick’s crowd is just as harmful to 





36 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

him as Lucille’s is to her, but I can’t make 
either of them see it. I’m beginning to feel 
rather at a loss — ” She seemed to have for¬ 
gotten Anise, and was merely thinking her 
thoughts aloud. 

The striking of the little gilt clock on the 
mantel aroused her. 

“ I wanted to suggest. Anise, that you let me 
teach you bridge. I’m having a few friends in 
this evening. Of course they’re older, but it’s 
rather a wise trick to stand in with older people 
— a trick Lucille refuses to consider. In spite 
of what the new generation says, the opinion of 
one’s elders still counts.” 

“ I’m sure you’re right. Aunt Della, but I 
don’t know one card from another, and I’m 
afraid — ” 

“ It’s time you did, then. Anise, for simply 
every one plays. You’ll be out of everything, 
later, if you don’t.” 

“ I don’t think I could ever care for it,” re¬ 
luctantly. “ You see, there are so many other 
things to think about, and to do. With my 
class work, and — and —.” She paused un¬ 
certainly. 

“ Oh, well, you needn’t if you’d rather not.” 




MISUNDERSTANDINGS 3 7 

She arose with a sigh. “ But at least, Sidney 
must know I’ve done the best I could.” 

She moved languidly toward the dressing- 
table where she regarded with sudden anxiety, 
a tiny spot on her chin, in the mirror before her. 
“You will promise. Anise, to be more careful 
after this, with whom you are seen? Really, 
my dear, a girl in your position can’t be too 
careful. I don’t relish being accused of neg¬ 
lecting my duty toward you.” 

“ Oh, Aunt Della, you’re not! Anise cried. 
“ It’s wonderful, just being here, with you! ” 

Her aunt missed entirely, the glow of admira¬ 
tion in her niece’s eyes, for she was still regard¬ 
ing critically her own image in the mirror be¬ 
fore her. 

“ Well, run along, now. Anise. I want to 
rest a bit before dinner. Thank heavens, Sid- 
ney gets in soon,” she sighed. “ Really the re¬ 
sponsibility is too much for an inexperienced 
person of my years.” 

Anise slipped out, softly, and returned to 
her own room. It was undoubtedly hard on 
Aunt Della, with three young people to look 
after, each of whom seemed to be pulling in a 
different direction. Well, at least, she would 


38 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

try harder to please. She’d begin right now, 
on her next day’s assignments, and if she hur¬ 
ried through dinner, perhaps she could finish 
her work in time to join Aunt Della’s friends 
in the drawing-room. By watching the game 
for a time, she’d no doubt be able to pick up a 
few pointers, so that when she did have time to 
learn, she would at least know the rudiments. 
And perhaps, she could wait until to-morrow to 
see the librarian. Then, perhaps she might 
stop in the music-room for a few moments with 
Lucille’s crowd. Lucille had been lovely to her 
in more ways than one. There was a very 
large-hearted quality about Lucille that Anise 
could not fail to approve of. 

But her plans to try at least to fall in with 
the wishes of Lucille and her aunt, were not to 
be fulfilled. 

Her work done, she was slipping into an eve¬ 
ning frock of pale yellow, wlien Nora, the maid, 
knocked at her door, and at her summons, en¬ 
tered, her hands endeavoring to hide their ex¬ 
citement, one within the other, as she whispered 
in a voice, tense with emotion: “ He’s down in 
the library. Miss Anise! He was coming up 
the steps, while I was peeping through the glass 


MISUNDERSTANDINGS 39 


at the side of the door. I thought it was an¬ 
other of Miz Della’s guests, or maybe one of 
the boys Mr. Richard was expecting. I’m glad 
now, I didn’t wait for him to ring. I just 
opened the door softly, and when I seen who it 
was, I hurried him into the library. He’s down 
there now, waiting for you! ” 

She paused for breath. 

“ But who is it, Dora? You haven’t said 
who it is? ” Anise begged to know, part of the 
maid’s excitement communicating itself to her. 

“ I must say, I think it’s a shame — with all 
his good looks! ” Dora hurried on in a quick, 
indignant voice. ‘‘ He oughta be in the movies. 
Miss Anise. Why don’t you get him to try? 
He’d make as swell a sheik as Valentino, if — ” 
“ Who is it you’re talking about, Dora? ” 
Anise demanded, a bit provoked at the maid’s 
garrulity. 

“ It’s that Namar Harjad, Miss Anise. I 
heard them laying you out about him. I just 
happened to be near — in the hall,” she added, 
quickly. “ It’s a shame. Miss Anise, but honest, 
don’t you think he oughta be in the movies? 
He’d make the grandest sheik! ” 

Namar Harjad in the library! What would 



40 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


Aunt Della and Lucille and Dick say? She 
must get rid of him somehow, before they knew. 
She hurried from the room, giving a last hasty 
pat to her hair as she went. 


CHAPTER III 


THE MISFIT 

Softly, she sped down the stairs and through 
the lower hall. From the music room came 
spasmodic bursts of song, intermingled with 
the pat of dancing feet, and subdued bursts of 
laughter. Lucille must have warned them of 
Aunt Della’s guests in the drawing-room at 
the front of the hall, from which came the soft 
flip of cards and the hum of polite, carefully 
modulated voices. Dick, too, must have warned 
his friends, for the masculine voices rising at 
times in excited discussion from the morning- 
room beyond the stairway, were more restrained 
than usual. 

It was with a little sigh of relief, that Anise 
realized that each was far too absorbed in her 
own affairs to pay the least attention to her. 

She opened the library door with a certain 
sense of security against interruption, for there 
would be no need to risk hurting Namar Har- 

41 


42 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


jad by sending him away immediately. Un¬ 
skilled as she was in the ways of politely extri¬ 
cating herself from uncomfortable situations, it 
did not occur to her to invent an excuse for not 
seeing him. 

He turned from the row of bookcases, and 
bowed to her as she opened the door, and stood 
hesitant before advancing toward him. 

“ Pardon, if I intrude, but I thought perhaps 
I could help you.” 

She moved toward him with a little smile, 
and nodded toward a chair under the lamp be¬ 
side the hearth, seating herself on the daven¬ 
port beside the long library table. 

“ How nice of you. In what way? ” she 
gazed at him appraisingly for the first time 
since she had known him, trying to find some 
lack in his appearance for the cause of Lucille’s 
and Dick’s disapproval. 

She knew, though, that it was not his appear¬ 
ance they objected to. They couldn’t, she re¬ 
flected. Even though his clothing was notice¬ 
ably inexpensive, it was in good taste. With a 
little inward smile, she found herself agreeing 
with Dora’s enthusiastic exclamations. Cer¬ 
tainly Namar Harjad was handsome as any 


THE MISFIT 


43 


“ movie sheik,” more so than most, she admitted, 
for there was an aloof, quiet dignity about him, 
that set him apart from the heroes of the screen. 
One could not imagine him seeking notoriety of 
that description. He seemed almost shy, so 
reserved was his bearing, and yet there was 
about him a quality that suggested a carefully 
restrained force that would be difficult to sub¬ 
due should anything occur to arouse that cer¬ 
tain dormant something within him. 

“ I was in the library and overheard the li¬ 
brarian complaining to her assistant that she 
had been unable to find the information regard¬ 
ing Oriental rugs which you had asked for. I 
thought I might be able to assist you and that in 
return you could tell me something of the 
American farm.” 

“ Indeed I can,” she exclaimed, moving to¬ 
ward the table, where she took paper and pen¬ 
cils from the drawer. ‘‘ Anything you want 
to know. IVe lived all of my seventeen years 
on a farm in Kentucky.” She looked at him 
thoughtfully a moment, then burst into a soft 
laugh. “We ought to exchange subjects! 
Here we are, each trying to write about some¬ 
thing he knows nothing of. But I suppose one 


44 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

would never learn if one were interested only in 
the things one already knows. It’s the things 
one doesn’t know that hold so much appeal,” 
and realized, then, that that was the principal 
reason for her interest in the youth before her. 

She longed to question him, to have him con¬ 
firm in some way her belief in him. But she 
would not. He must reveal himself, through 
their occasional school contacts, or as he chose. 
If his life was not an open book, as Dick had 
said, he must have some substantial reasons 
for his reticence. Certainly any one who bore 
himself with such dignity, whose eyes looked 
into one’s with such simple sincerity, whose 
manners one could see were not mere artificial 
gestures, could in no way deserve to be treated 
with contempt. 

She motioned him to draw up his chair, 
switching on the green-shaded table lamp, as 
she did so. 

“ We’ll dispose of the farm first. I feel 
sure it will take but a few moments. The 
Oriental rugs will take more time, for I know 
absolutely nothing about them.” 

“ I know as little, almost, about a real farm, 
though I did work one summer on a New Jersey 


THE MISFIT 


45 


truck farm,” he told her. “ However, it was 
not, I believe, what one would consider a typical 
farm.” 

“ Hardly,” she agreed, then stood beside him, 
watching interestedly as he wrote carefully but 
swiftly the many things she told him. She 
could not help but marvel at the intelligence of 
his questions, considering that he knew so little 
of his subject. Certainly, his was no ordinary 
mind. 

She longed, and yet dreaded to know more 
about him. In the face of the others’ disap¬ 
proval, it seemed unwise to continue their bud¬ 
ding friendship, and yet she felt drawn to him 
in a way she had been to none of the other stu¬ 
dents. Was he merely one of the East Side’s 
great horde of humanity, that fought for a foot¬ 
hold in this land of their adoption? An East- 
Side rug peddler. A New Jersey gardener’s 
helper. Certainly nothing dishonorable about 
either. Still — 

Neither seemed aware that they were spend¬ 
ing more time on the subject of farm life, than 
they had planned to do. 

Anise found herself telling him of her girl¬ 
hood days at Aunt Letty’s; of the ploughing 



46 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


and planting; of the harvesting; of the orchards, 
bowed under their weight of ripening fruit; of 
the pastures filled with cattle and sheep, the 
great fiocks of turkeys and chickens; of the dis¬ 
appointments and heartaches of their less fortu¬ 
nate neighbors when untimely rain ruined acre 
after acre of golden grain, or a long drought 
would dry up the crops and wells. She told of 
berry-pickings, of church picnics, of cemetery 
clearings, when every one for miles around came 
with his dinner and cleared the burying ground 
of weeds and high grass; of fox-hunting parties, 
of church socials, quiltings, maple-sugar parties 
in the cabin in the woods; of sleighing and coast¬ 
ing parties. She told of hog-killings, when the 
great fat hams and huge sausages were swung 
from the smoke-house roof to be cured for win¬ 
ter’s use. 

“It seems strange,” she said, when for a mo¬ 
ment he sat silent, formulating perhaps his 
next question, “ that you should be so inter¬ 
ested in what most people consider so very com¬ 
monplace.” 

“ Commonplace? When all of your great 
leaders — the great people of your land, have 
been born amid such surroundings? ” 



THE MISFIT 47 

“Why do you say, my land?” she asked. 
“ Is it not your land, also? ” 

He looked at her, with, she thought, curiously 
sad eyes. “ I was born in Syria. I have been 
in this country only a few years.” 

“ Syria? ” and was appalled at her own igno¬ 
rance of his country. She made a mental note 
that the very next day she would hunt up Syria 
on the map and find out something about it. 

“ But how could you be a Syrian, and yet 
speak such perfect English? ” 

“ I was sent very young to England to be 
taught the language.” 

Something within her grew strangely jubi¬ 
lant. He was not, then, the very ordinary per¬ 
son Dick and Lucille had declared him to be. 
The poor in Syria did not send their children 
to England to be taught English, of that much 
she was certain. The poor in the East, were 
very, very poor, indeed. There was no middle 
class, as in America. 

He turned in his chair and regarded the little 
clock on the mantel in sudden dismay. 

“ I came to tell you of the rugs, and already 
it is time to depart. How can I absolve my¬ 
self? I have taken your whole evening! ” 


48 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

She, too, was regarding the timepiece, dis- 
believingly, but before she could speak, the 
door was opened hastily, and Lucille, hurrying 
in, stopped in surprise, staring from one to the 
other with an expression of mounting dis¬ 
pleasure. 

“ I beg your pardon,” she said stiffly to Anise. 
“ I didn’t know you were here, or that your 
friendship with this — person had progressed to 
such a degree. Don’t let me disturb you. I 
came for my compact. I think I must have 
dropped it in here, before dinner.” 

Lucille had moved toward the couch where 
she tossed the cushions about, then looked up 
with a quick smile of mischief at the crowd of 
girls filling the doorway. “ Come in, girls! ” 

“ I’ll lend you mine, Lucille,” one of the girls 
offered. “ It’s a shame to spoil such an inter¬ 
esting tete-a-tete. Who knows but that — ” 
her eyes wandered from Anise’s flushed face to 
the other girls, alert now at the possibility of 
some unexpected fun. 

Quite evidently they all shared Lucille’s 
opinion of Namar. 

Lucille nudged a girl with a ukelele strung 
about her neck with a broad red ribbon. “ Play 



THE MISFIT 


49 


something appropriate to the occasion, can’t 
you? ” she demanded. “ Why not, ‘ The Kash¬ 
miri Love Song — ’ you know — ‘ Pale 
hands I kissed beside the Shalomar’, or, what’s 
that thing Dad used to warble? Oh, yes! 
‘ Maid of Athens, ere we part — ’ ” 

“ Were you ever in Athens, Namar? ” the 
girl plucking the ukelele’s strings interrupted. 

Then a wide-eyed, auburn-haired girl pushed 
through the smiling group demanding: “Do 
they really keep the women shut up, Namar, 
in your country, and not let them do anything 
but sit around and get fat? ” 

“ Aw, don’t you know harems are passe? ” 
another remarked. “ They went out with long 
skirts, didn’t they, Namar. We were in Paris 
at the time. Besides, the men can’t afford so 
many wives, now. The war ruined so many. 
That’s why they come to America — to get 
away from the clutching hands.” She paused 
uncertainly, then continued saucily: “After 
all, I bet there’s something in that remark, isn’t 
there, Namar? That’s about all we encoun¬ 
tered, the last time we were abroad — clutching 
hands — trying to get all we had, from bandits 
to beggars.” 




so ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Her words brought a shamed blush to Anise’s 
cheeks. 

“You ought to be ashamed, Georgia Nevins! 
As though Namar is responsible for the whole 
of the East! ” 

“ Keep out, Anise,” Lucille warned. 
“ You’ll only make matters worse. I warned 
you, to-day, about — ” 

Namar was facing Lucille, and seemed en¬ 
tirely unconscious of the abuse aimed at him. 
“ Have I, perhaps, made a mistake in com¬ 
ing — ” 

“ You seem to have, Mr. Harjad,” Lucille 
told him, with dignity. 

“ But this is Miss Decard’s abiding-place, is 
it not? ” 

“Yes. Certainly.” 

“I was careful to make sure that my coming 
was quite the proper thing. Professor Sea¬ 
mans assured me — ” 

“ It may be in line with Professor Seamans’ 
ideas of what is correct, but hardly ours,” she 
observed drily, still searching among the 
cushions for the missing compact. 

“ I am sorry, if I made a mistake. Why did 
you not enlighten me? ” he questioned Anise. 


THE MISFIT 


51 


‘‘ You don’t understand,” she endeavored to 
explain, torn between sympathy for him, and 
loyalty to Lucille. “ Your coming here was 
quite all right — ” 

“ I disagree with you. Anise.” 

She turned in quick surprise to find Dick and 
his friends crowding behind the girls, into the 
room. 

‘‘ What’s wrong here, anyway? ” he de¬ 
manded, looking from one to the other. 
“ Didn’t I warn you. Anise, that — ” ? He 
turned now to Harjad. “ Now see here,” he 
exclaimed, “ if you’re the cause of this rumpus, 
hadn’t you better clear out? ” 

“But, Dick!” Anise besought him, 
“ he —” 

Dick ignored her. “I’ve been intending to 
advise you to confine your attentions to the 
waitresses or kitchen help at Rosetti’s or some 
of the ferry’s patronage. Anise is hardly the 
person — ” 

Anise saw a bewildered, hurt look coming 
into Namar’s eyes. She saw too, the muscles 
ripple under his coat sleeves, and his lower jaw 
moving under the tight skin of his cheeks. But 
his hands hung limp at his side. She read him 





52 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

in a flash. He would have liked to knock Dick 
down, for his insolence, but he was too well 
reared for that. 

In a sudden fury at Dick and the others for 
subjecting him to such indignity, she stamped 
her foot at them all, and flared: “ You — you 
horrid snobs! I hate you all! ” 

‘‘ Why, Anise, dear! ” It was Aunt Della’s 
shocked voice. “ Such language! And Lu¬ 
cille, and you, Dick! What can you mean 
by such an uproar, when you know I have 
guests? I beg of you to lower your voices 
and explain! ” 

But Anise was fighting back tears, too hurt 
and bewildered to know or care that Aunt 
Della’s guests were now adding to the confu¬ 
sion that spread through the library door into 
the hall. Every one was talking at once, try¬ 
ing to find out just what was the cause of the 
disturbance. 

Dick seemed utterly indifferent to the pres¬ 
ence of his aunt and her guests. 

“ Where’s your hat? ” he inquired of the si¬ 
lent Namar. 

Behind him a wall of youths applauded his 
action with wide grins, then one venturesome 


THE MISFIT S3 

spirit suggested: “Let’s give him the hum's 
rush!" 

There was a moment’s pregnant silence, then 
a clamor of “ Let’s! Let’s! ”, with increasing 
ardor. 

Anise heard an ineffectual protest from 
Dick. “ Aw, go slow, fellows! Really — ” 

But it had no effect. Some of the girls gig¬ 
gled, while others emitted horrified little 
squeals. Aunt Della raised her voice in 
righteous indignation. 

“Will you children kindly remember where 
you are? ” 

But those behind Dick were pushing for¬ 
ward. Namar had no chance to recover his 
hat. 

Anise made a frantic attempt to reach him, 
hut was held back by a girl who whispered imp¬ 
ishly: “ It is the will of Allah! Let Allah’s 
will be done! ” 

Aunt Della’s guests backed hurriedly to¬ 
ward the drawing-room door, afraid to be too 
near, yet reluctant to miss the excitement. 

Their aunt was protesting at the outrage, in 
a voice cold with fury, while Lucille endeavored 
to pacify her. 


54 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

‘‘ After all, Aunt Della, it is our home, and if 
Dick and I choose to evict this unwelcome caller, 
it is our privilege.” 

They were rushing Namar before them to¬ 
ward the door, crying excitedly, “ Open the 
door! Open the door! ” when before it could 
be reached, the door was opened from the out¬ 
side, and their father, Sidney Lyman, entered, 
a suit-case in either hand. 


CHAPTER IV 


CONFIDENCES 

The crowd of youths, urging Namar Harjad 
toward the door, came to a sharp stop, and a 
sudden hush fell upon the excited assembly. 
Sidney Lyman was gazing from one to the 
other in puzzled astonishment. His eyes trav¬ 
eled quickly from Dick to Lucille, then to the 
outraged eyes of his sister Della. 

‘‘What’s it all about?” he asked in level 
tones, his air of complete poise oddly in con¬ 
trast to the excited faces about him. 

“ Just taking care of our little country cousin. 
Dad,” Lucille spoke up. “ She hasn’t learned 
the ways of the big, wicked city, yet.” 

“ Anise? ” His eyes sought her among the 
girls now retreating slowly toward the music- 
room. “ I can’t imagine Anise creating such 
a disturbance.” 

Dick spoke up, quickly. “ It isn’t exactly 
her fault. Dad, though she shouldn’t have en¬ 
couraged this— She simply didn’t under- 

55 


56 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

stand. However, he could hardly have failed 
to know he was overstepping himself, coming 
here without an invitation.” 

Anise struggling for composure, managed 
to say, “ He came to help me with my thesis, and 
— and — ” 

“ Really, Sidney,” their aunt began, “ Anise 
has, I’m afraid been very unwise, but that is 
no excuse for Dick and Lucille carrying on such 
high-handed proceedings. They seem to for¬ 
get that I am their — ” 

Her brother held up a remonstrating hand. 
“ This is hardly the time or place to go into 
that, Della, but it does seem that they owe this 
young man an apology.” 

The youths had loosened their hold upon 
Namar and had assumed an expression of dis¬ 
interested unconcern, as though this was really 
no affair of theirs. All but Dick. He glow¬ 
ered upon the silent Namar. 

“Apologize? Aw, Dad! Really — Can’t 
you see — ? ” 

He snatched Namar’s hat from the hands of 
a near-by youth and tossed it to him, as though 
that ended the matter. 

Namar caught it deftly, and looking neither 






CONFIDENCES 57 

to the right nor left, started toward the door, but 
was intercepted by Mr. Lyman. 

“ Perhaps you will accept my apology in¬ 
stead ? I am very sorry for what has occurred. 
Young people — ” he nodded his head in their 
direction, “ are sometimes a bit hasty. They 
form opinions quickly, and change them 
quickly. Perhaps, some day they will — ” 
He made no attempt to finish his sentence, but 
held out a conciliatory hand to the silent youth 
before him. 

Anise, watching closely, saw the look of re¬ 
spect in her uncle’s eyes, and hurried toward 
him. She said no word, but her appealing 
smile begged Namar to be generous. 

His face, hardened into a mask of immobility, 
softened at the older man’s words, and after a 
hesitant movement, he took the proffered hand, 
clasped it firmly, bowed, and with a last swift 
glance at Anise, he turned toward the door, 
opened it, and was gone. 

Aunt Della was herding her guests back to 
the drawing-room, but she paused in the door¬ 
way. 

“ You might have let me know you were com¬ 
ing to-night, Sidney,” she reproached her 


58 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

brother; then added, “ I’ll speak to Dora about 
some supper for you.” 

No, don’t bother, Della. I dined on the 
Limited, but I wouldn’t object to a cup of 
Anise’s coffee and a little fruit. Since her 
friend has been so effectively disposed of, per¬ 
haps she’ll not object to transferring her atten¬ 
tions to me.” 

“ I’ll be glad to. Uncle Sidney,” she said, 
thankful for the chance to show her appreciation 
of his championship of Namar. 

Lucille’s friends had returned to the music- 
room, while Dick’s were discussing the advisa¬ 
bility of joining the girls or continuing their 
own interrupted program. 

“ Now tell me all about this affair. Anise,” 
her Uncle demanded, as he poured cream into 
the cup of fragrant coffee she set before him. 

She snapped off the current under the elec¬ 
tric percolator, then seated herself in the tall 
chair across the polished mahogany table, not¬ 
ing happily his satisfied smile as he tested the 
heat of the liquid before him. 

“ There is little to tell,” she returned, “ except 
that he came here to help me with my thesis, and 
wanted me to help him with his. He knew I’d 


CONFIDENCES 59 

been raised on a farm. He chose, ‘ The Ameri¬ 
can Farm,’ for his topic, while mine is ‘ Ori¬ 
ental Rugs.’ ” 

‘‘ I see.” He regarded her thoughtfully. 
“ And as the personal columns of the newspa¬ 
pers would put it, you expected to learn from 
each other something to your mutual advan¬ 
tage? ” His eyes twinkled humorously, though 
his face remained grave. 

“ That’s it, exactly,” she told him, seriously. 

“ But how did the fracas start, and why are 
Lucille and Dick so bitterly against this bold, 
bad, dark-skinned foreign-looking chap? ” 

There was no mistaking the laugh in his 
voice, and she laughed with him, relievedly. 

“ He’s neither bold nor bad. Uncle Sidney,” 
she said, gently. “ But I suppose he is a for¬ 
eigner, since he admitted it to me.” 

‘‘ He didn’t admit anything else — of inter¬ 
est? ” 

“ Except that he had worked on a truck 
farm in New Jersey. Dick said, though — ” 
(she had no desire to be anything but honest) 
“ that he had sold rugs from a push-cart on the 
East Side in New York City. Rod Drake 
saw him. And Lucille saw him selling peanuts 



60 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

and pop-corn on the ferry. And every one 
knows that he works most of the time in Ro- 
setti’s restaurant.” 

“ All in vivid contrast to his princely air,” 
. he commented. 

“ You noticed that? ” she asked, quickly, 
leaning toward him. 

“ One could hardly miss it,” he observed, eye¬ 
ing her with new interest. 

Anise felt curiously light-hearted, since he 
seemed to attach so little importance to Lucille’s 
and Dick’s estimate of Namar. She sat silent, 
for a time, toying with the fruit-knife among 
the peelings of a peach she had prepared for 
him. 

“ Is there anything more to be told? ” he 
asked, setting his cup carefully into its saucer. 

“ I believe not. As Lucille says, I know ab¬ 
solutely nothing about him. He merely sits 
near me in class. He picked up some papers 
once for me, which I had dropped. Another 
time, I was caught in a shower down-town, and 
he brought me home under his umbrella. We’ve 
walked across the campus a few times together.” 

“ And yet he’s told you nothing of himself — 
of his people? ” 


CONFIDENCES 61 

She shook her head. “ I’ve never let him 
think I was curious to know. After all, Uncle 
Sidney, does it matter? ” 

“ Does what matter. Anise? ” 

“ Why — why — things like belonging to 
the best families, and — How can a person 
help being born what he is. Uncle Sidney? It’s 
what he makes of himself, I think, that counts, 
don’t you? ” 

“ It does, indeed, Anise.” He gazed thought¬ 
fully at the cluster of dark red dahlias that 
graced the center of the table. 

“ And, Uncle Sidney, don’t you think that 
if you let people know you believe in them — 
that you think they mean to do all that they 
should, that they will really end by being that 

Q ff 

way? 

His heavy brows, so like Dick’s and Lucille’s, 
drew low over his eyes, and he reached for the 
tray of cigars she had moved toward him. 

“ You’ve got the right idea. Anise. It’s 
what I’ve tried to do with Lucille and Dick. 
There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be repre¬ 
sentative young Americans, but I’m afraid I’ve 
hit a snag somewhere in my calculations. They 
certainly didn’t do credit to my belief in them. 


62 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

to-night, nor as representative Americans, 
either.” 

He looked, suddenly, so distressed that she 
hastened to reassure him. “ But Uncle Sidney, 
both Dick and Lucille are fine! It’s just that 
they seem to think I don’t know how to judge 
people. Dick, you see, likes his athletic crowd 
and doesn’t understand how others can’t feel 
as he does. Lucille likes gayety, and thinks 
any one who doesn’t, is making a mistake.” 

“ And you? ” 

“ I don’t know. I like people — all kinds. 
I feel sorry for the ones who seem left out. Uncle 
Sidney, for the ones who must struggle for the 
things which come so easily to others. It is 
those who are not sure of themselves who need 
one’s interest, don’t vou think? Lucille and 
Dick have so much, that they just don’t realize 
there are some not so fortunate. Living at 
Aunt Letty’s, I suppose, is what has made me 
think so much about other people. She was 
always helping some one, encouraging some one 
in something they wanted to do, but lacked 
enough courage.” 

“ So you think this Namar Harjad needs en¬ 
couragement? ” 


CONFIDENCES 


63 


I don’t know about that. He seems very 
capable of getting what he is seeking, but I do 
think he needs a little friendliness. No one pays 
the least attention to him. He seems so left 
out, so alone.” She was looking at him now 
with bright eyes. ‘‘ Don’t you think. Uncle 
Sidney, that we ought to be kinder to him, be¬ 
cause he is different — foreign? Since our 
country stands for all that is best, oughtn’t 
we — ? ” 

When she made no attempt to finish her sen¬ 
tence, he said: “ In a way, you are right, Anise. 
If America wants to keep her place in the sun, 
her citizens must at least know how to treat 
with courtesy the citizens of other countries. 
It’s one of the things other countries are holding 
against us now. They call us crude, rude, and 
words much stronger. I’ll have to take up this 
matter with Dick and Lucille. Dick seems to 
think that might makes right, while Lucille 
seems to think that money is the key to all life’s 

joy. 

“ I don’t believe Lucille cares so much about 
money. Uncle Sidney,” she tried to defend her 
absent cousin. 

“No, I realize she doesn’t, or she wouldn’t 




64 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


throw it around as she does.” He laughed, a 
bit ruefully. 

He was scrutinizing her closely now. “ I 
believe you’re thinner, Anise? Studying too 
hard, or is it because Dick and Lucille are mak¬ 
ing things too impossible for you? ” 

She looked up, startled. “ Oh, you mustn’t 
think that! They’ve both been very kind. It’s 
just that everything is different here, and I’m 
puzzled — ” 

“ About what? ” 

“ About what to do. I want to be agree¬ 
able — ” 

“ But each one ex-pects you to do his way? 
Is that it? ” 

She nodded. “We all seem to be going in 
different directions,” she tried to explain, “ and 
no one seems to understand the other.” 

“ Something like the international situation,” 
he laughed. “ All the nations crying for peace 
and understanding, yet each insisting on going 
its own way and viewing its neighbor through 
its own narrow vision.” 

He arose from his chair and rested a kindly 
hand on her shoulder, as she stood beside him. 
“ Well, you and I understand each other a little 


CONFIDENCES 


65 

better, at any rate, don’t we? I wish I might 
have as good luck with Lucille and Dick. Run 
along, now, and get your beauty sleep.” 

He saw she was seeking courage to ask some¬ 
thing, and so he said; Don’t be afraid. Anise, 
to ask anything of me.” 

“ It’s about Namar Harjad, Uncle. Must 
I refuse to know him? It’ll be so hard — ” 
He puffed thoughtfully at his cigar, then 
stood regarding it sternly. He was remember¬ 
ing with an inward qualm, a certain letter from 
his sister Letty, in which she said: 


“ Dearly as I love Anise, I can’t help but 
feel that it is only fair to you to warn you of 
her weaknesses, so that you may understand 
and guard her carefully. Her’s is a very im¬ 
pulsive nature, and, coupled with her idealistic 
views, it is just the right combination to lead her 
into deep water. She simply doesn’t see danger 
or harm in any one. She is one of those persons 
who have to learn by experience. If you knew 
how hard I’ve tried to make her more practical! 
You will keep an eye on her, Sidney? You 
know how dearly I love her — I could not bear 
to have anything happen — I want her to keep 
her ideals, but — . Try to make her realize 
that the world is as full of evil as of good, and 
that she must be careful.” 




66 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

He gazed thoughtfully down into the eager 
face of his niece. Had he taken the wrong 
course in sympathizing with her, or should he 
have tried to make her realize the danger in too 
impulsive friendships? This Syrian youth, 
now — with his splendid physique, his hand¬ 
some countenance, his air of complete self- 
possession, to say nothing of that indefinable 
quality of the unknown that lingers about those 
of another race — could it be that danger lay 
in his direction, or was Anise merely interested 
because the others resented so emphatically his 
presence among them? That was it, certainly. 
Why worry, since the incident was closed. But 
he would keep his eyes open. He was glad 
Letty had warned him. Without doubt she 
understood Anise far better than either he or 
Della. 

Her eyes were still questioning him. 

“ I don’t believe you’ll be called upon to make 
a decision in the matter. Anise.” 

“ But I see him every day. Uncle Sidney! ” 

“ You won’t after this. We’re leaving for 
Europe on the twenty-fourth, but don’t tell the 
others, to-night. I’m tired, and I feel sure 
the news will create something of a stir.” 


CHAPTER V 


A PEACE ( ?) CONFERENCE 

It was not until toward the end of dinner, the 
next day, that Sidney Lyman made the an¬ 
nouncement which he had predicted to Anise 
would cause something of a stir. 

There had been no time that morning for 
more than a few hasty words with each, for both 
Dick and Lucille overslept and had time for 
only a brief nibble at the appetizing breakfast 
of which the other members of the family had 
partaken. 

Dinner was always the one leisurely meal in 
the Lyman household, and was even more so 
on the occasions of Mr. Lyman’s homecoming, 
for in spite of his limited time with his children, 
he took a deep interest in all that concerned 
them. He was perhaps a more indulgent par¬ 
ent than he realized, but the fact that they were 
almost wholly without parental guidance, 
softened him, to a certain extent. He grieved 

considerably over the fact that it was possible 

67 


68 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

for him to be so little with them, and consoled 
himself, as best he could, with the thought that 
he had done everything possible for them that 
a man could do under the circumstances. Be¬ 
fore her death, his wife had indicated the schools 
in which she wished them educated, and he had 
been very faithful in carrying out her wishes. 
Della had very generously looked after Lucille 
during vacation periods, taking her with her to 
whatever summer resort she was patronizing. 
Dick’s vacations were spent in first one boys’ 
camp and then another. Their father managed 
to put in from a few days to a few weeks with 
each of them, whenever the opportunity pre¬ 
sented itself. 

His visits with them always left him strangely 
puzzled. Just what the trouble with them was, 
he could not definitely say. They seemed over¬ 
developed in some ways, and under-developed 
in others. He contrasted his own boyhood, with 
its simple pleasures and considerable hardships, 
with the easy, carefully guarded life of Dick 
and Lucille. He knew it was futile to dwell 
on such thoughts. Life in this generation was 
far softer in every way than the one he had 
known, and he knew that science was doing its 


A PEACE (?) CONFERENCE 69 

best to make it still softer for each coming 
generation. It was useless to long for those 
conflicts with hardship for his own children. 
But he realized that though life would be easier 
for them in many ways, it would be far more 
complex in others than to those of his gener¬ 
ation. 

With the awakening of a universal con¬ 
science, and the hint of a coming brotherhood 
among the nations, it would be upon the youths 
of the land that the future’s great responsibili¬ 
ties would fall; responsibilities far greater than 
those which had fallen to past generations. 

He regretted the necessity of going against 
the wishes of his wife, but his travels in foreign 
lands, the past few years, and his contact with 
new forces, both political and economical, since 
her death, had so broadened his vision, that he 
felt no disloyalty toward her when he chose a 
Middle-Western college for his children, in¬ 
stead of the exclusive schools of higher educa¬ 
tion she had selected. And since, in a moment 
of pique, Lucille had declared that they had 
never had a homey where they could live like 
other people, he had decided that he would see, 
too, that they had just that. And so Della 


70 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

came, and presided over the big, luxuriously 
furnished house he bought for them, not far 
from the University which he confidently hoped 
would school them in all the things they had so 
far lacked. 

But in this, too, he was to be disappointed. 
His visits home revealed that the something he 
had sought for them still eluded him. As Anise 
had tried to explain to him, each seemed pulling 
in the opposite direction. There was a lack 
of sympathy, an artificiality in their relations 
with each other that left him bewildered. He 
had hoped that with the coming of Anise there 
might be some change. But in this he was dis¬ 
appointed. He felt that Anise, too, was as 
bewildered as he. He knew instinctively that 
she was not fitting in, either with Dick’s friends 
or with Lucille’s, and he read in her silence and 
withdrawal from them, a hurt loneliness, that 
he was incapable of handling. 

When events transpired which resulted in his 
presence being imperative in certain foreign 
fields, it was with a new sense of relief that he 
returned to his children, for he believed at last, 
that he had found a solution to his problem. 
He would take them with him. It would give 


A PEACE (?) CONFERENCE 71 

him the chance he had always longed for — the 
chance to know his children better and find out 
if possible, the real trend of their lives. 

As he told Anise, he expected some sort of 
outburst, but hardly the howl of consternation 
which Dick let loose, or the shrill protestations 
of Lucille, that she couldn’t, really couldn’t 
leave the gang just now. 

Dick’s chair clattered backward to the floor, 
as he swung to his feet. 

“Why, Dad! Don’t you know I’ve just 
made the team!. Don’t you realize what it’ll 
mean if I leave now! ” 

Dora’s startled face appeared through an 
aperture in the pantry door, then she hurried in, 
picking up the overturned chair and replacing 
it softly. 

“ Lose a year’s fun! ” wailed Lucille, “ just 
to wander round amid a lot of mildewed ruins 
and babbling foreigners! I guess not. Dad! 
Why can’t we stay here with Aunt Della! 
Everything’s been going so perfectly lovely! ” 
“ So it seemed, last night,” her father ob¬ 
served, drily. “ To tell the truth, Lucille, I 
think we’ve imposed enough on Della. Of 
course she loves you children, but it’s not right 


72 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

to let her give up her life for ours. She’s had 
several tempting invitations to winter in 
Florida and the Bermudas and I know she 
wants to go.” 

“Why, Sidney,” his sister interposed. “I 
had no intention of going. I must say, in all 
truth, that it is a little difficult here, at times, but 
then Lucille and Dick, and Anise, will always 
have first place — ” 

“ Yes, I know,” he assured her, gravely, “ but 
I’ve made up my mind. A year of travel, will, 
I am sure, be equally as beneficial as a year of 
college.” 

“ But, Dad! ” Dick was glowering now into 
the artistic concoction of fruits and whipped 
cream Dora had placed before him. “ You 
don’t know what it means — to me — Dad! 
Why all the fellows I buddy with now, will be 
a year ahead, and there may be better men, next 
year, for the team, and I won’t stand a chance 
of making it. I’ll get soft. Dad, playing around 
like that.” 

“ There’s no need of getting soft, Dick. 
You’ll find gyms wherever we go, or nearly so. 
At least you can always exercise.” 

“ But what about me. Dad? ” Lucille begged 



A PEACE (?) CONFERENCE 73 

plaintively. Couldn’t I stay here? Get a 
room in the dorm? Think of the prom and all 
the other things I’ll miss.” She reached hastily 
for a wisp of handkerchief tucked under the 
strap of her wrist-watch. 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to make the best of 
the situation, Lucille. You’ll find plenty of 
excitement on shipboard. You’ll meet quite 
a number, I’ll guarantee, who’ll help you to for¬ 
get your friends here.” 

“ Well, of course, if you mean to let us play 
around Paris, or the Riviera, but you always 
go to such stick-in-the-mud places.” 

Anise, watching and listening quietly at the 
other end of the table, saw their father’s brows 
lower, and his lips narrow into a straight line. 

“I’m not taking you for the fun I’m expect¬ 
ing you to find, Lucille. I’m hoping you will 
gain something that will be of service to you 
the rest of your life — a broader viewpoint, per¬ 
haps, or perhaps only a strengthening of some 
of your better instincts.” 

“ Well, I suppose there’s no use then in at¬ 
tending any more classes,” said Lucille, bright¬ 
ening visibly at tlie thought. 

“ I’ll see Dean Hendricks to-night and make 



74 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the explanations,” her father said. “ You girls 
will have your hands full getting ready, since 
we leave in three days.” 

“ But you haven’t said where we are going,” 
Lucille reminded him, plunging her spoon into 
her dessert. 

“ Syria is our objective, but — ” 

“Syria? Ye gods!” groaned Dick. He 
threw out his hands in a helpless gesture. 
“ Will you tell me. Dad,” he pleaded, patheti¬ 
cally, “ what good Syria could possibly do 
me? 

“ Don’t be selfish, Dick,” Lucille admon¬ 
ished, brightening mischievously at the thought 
which had come to her. “ There are some to 
whom the mystic East breathes enchantment.” 
Her gaze drooped toward Anise. “ At least, 
our cousin here will be able to learn at its source 
the art of Oriental rug-weaving.” 

She sat erect now, wide-eyed with mischief. 
“ Wouldn’t it be too thrilling if Anise, and this 
Har jad, who knows so much about them, should 
open up a shop some day. Our wealthiest 
women, you know, are going into business these 
days,” she assured her cousin gravely. 

Anise laughed. “ I’m afraid I’m not in- 


A PEACE (?) CONFERENCE 75 

dined toward business, Lucille. The selling 
of rugs would never appeal to me, though I 
should not object to owning one — a real one 
— a prayer rug, perhaps. There’s a glamour 
about them — perhaps because they are con¬ 
sidered so sacred, or perhaps because real ones 
are so rare — that appeals to me.” 

Dick looked at her with awakening interest. 
“ Well, Anise, at least we’ll see that you get 
one that is real. It may be the means of an 
adventure of some sort. These Easterners 
cling so tightly to their sacred objects. I’ve 
read, too, how they fake some of their rugs, 
dip them in saffron or glycerine to age them.” 

“ Too bad, Namar Harjad can’t be one of 
our party, since he’s such an authority on the 
subject,” Lucille drawled, with another mis¬ 
chievous glance in Anise’s direction. 

“ Forget him,” Dick muttered irritably. “ I 
bet that bird’s responsible for Dad’s taking us 
on this trip. If it hadn’t been for that row last 
night — ” 

“ Well, no, Dick,” his father interposed. 
“ My plans were made before leaving Wash¬ 
ington. The row, as you call it, merely con¬ 
firmed my suspicions that my children needed 


76 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

me as much as I needed them. This trip will 
help us all to become better acquainted, I hope.” 

“ Aw, Dad,” he made a last pathetic plea, 
“ honest. I’ll do anything you say, if you let 
me off this time. It’ll simply ruin my life — ” 
“ I’m sorry, Dick, but my decision has been 
made.” 


! 


CHAPTER VI 


PREPARATIONS 

The three days which intervened between Mr. 
Lyman’s announcement, and their departure, 
were days filled to the brim with excitement. 
Anise alone seemed the only cool member of the 
family, with the exception, perhaps, of Mr. 
Lyman. He, however, was both receiving and 
sending a constant stream of telegrams, cable¬ 
grams, special-delivery letters, and long-dis¬ 
tance calls. 

Dick was holding post-mortems for his ruined 
career, at unexpected intervals. There was a 
continual stream of sad-eyed youths come either 
to cheer him with hopeful predictions of what 
he would do next year on the team, or to wallow 
with him in his misery. 

Lucille was tearing in and out, stopping only 
long enough to slip into a different frock for 
the next farewell party, she was being honored 
with, or else directing Dora as to the unwrap¬ 
ping and repacking of the many boxes and 

bundles with which her room was now littered. 

77 


78 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Aunt Della fluttered about them all, advis¬ 
ing, admonishing and complaining at times of 
the fearful disorder, and again soothing and 
gentle-voiced when Lucille and Dick clashed 
in one of their customary arguments. 

“ You’d think it was her honeymoon she was 
preparing for,” Dick grumbled, as he fell over 
two hatboxes and a smart new traveling-bag 
just inside the front door. 

“ Well, that’s something no one would sus¬ 
pect of you, from the looks of that face you 
carry around,” Lucille retorted, airily skipping 
around the clutter Dick complained of, and 
swinging the front door shut behind her. 

“ It’s my face, isn’t it? If you don’t like 
it — ” 

But Lucille was beyond hearing. 

“Dick! ” Aunt Della pleaded, “ do try to 
make these last few hours at home pleasant for 
your father. He’s doing so much for you.” 

“ Much ? Huh! ” snorted Dick. 

“ Well, I think myself it’s a bit unwise, his 
taking the girls into those uncivilized countries. 
There’s no knowing what might happen. One 
reads of so many terrible things in these foreign 
places.” 


PREPARATIONS 79 

Dick snorted again. '‘Aw, Aunt Della! 
With two men like Dad and me, I’d like to see 
any one get rough.” He flung out an arm, 
looking lovingly down upon it as he flexed the 
muscles back and forth, then with a benign 
glance for her woman’s timidity, he swung out 
the door. 

She sighed, then called to Dora to come and 
carry Lucille’s things upstairs. 

“ It’s really absurd, the things she is buy¬ 
ing for this trip,” speaking her thoughts aloud. 
“ The child seems to think it will be one con¬ 
tinuous party.” 

Anise, coming out of the library with a hook 
under her arm, paused. 

" Can I help you with these. Aunt Della? ” 

“ Yes, if you’ve nothing to do. Dora must 
be in the attic or basement, though what’s keep¬ 
ing her, I can’t imagine. She never seems to 
be about when one really needs her. Surely, 
Anise,” she went on, “ you haven’t time to read 
when you’ve all your packing to do.” 

" But I’ve flnished it. Aunt Della. I’m tak¬ 
ing only my simplest things. Aunt Letty said 
once that plain dark clothes are best for travel¬ 
ing. My school things will do, I think.” 


80 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

‘‘ Well, of course Letty would tell you the 
sensible thing to do. I hope, though, that 
you’ve put in a few evening frocks. You’ll be 
asked to a number of smart affairs, I’m sure. 
Your uncle has some very interesting social con¬ 
nections in the capitals of Europe. And there’ll 
be dances on shipboard — ” 

“ I dance so little. Aunt Della, and — ” 

Her aunt turned to her a bit impatiently. 
“ Heavens, Anise! You talk like an old maid 
— if such a thing exists these days. I hope 
you’ll not go poking off into corners, with a 
book, and forget that you’re just the right age 
to get a little joy out of life. My! Between 
you, and Lucille, and Dick! I’ve never known 
three such conflicting personalities. If Sidney 
succeeds in his hopes of reconciling you three to 
each other’s company on this trip, and gets any 
pleasure out of it for himself, it will exceed 
my fondest expectations.” 

Anise made no response. She gathered to¬ 
gether a number of packages from the hall table 
and proceeded thoughtfully up the stairs. 
Aunt Della’s words had struck a spark in her 
emotions that she was unprepared for. The 
realization of her uncle’s problem came to her 


PREPARATIONS 81 

with greater significance, now. She seemed 
to feel his masculine inability to understand and 
guide his children in the paths he would have 
them follow. And it came to her, that instead 
of helping to bring Lucille and Dick into a 
closer bond, she had perhaps widened the gulf 
between them. Without doubt, then, her com¬ 
ing here had added to her uncle’s burden. She 
thought speculatively of withdrawing entirely; 
of either returning to Aunt Letty’s or insisting 
on remaining and finishing the college term. 

Lucille’s packages having been deposited on 
her already heaped-up bed. Anise went slowly 
to her own room. She moved thoughtfully to¬ 
ward the window and stood looking out across 
roofs and tree-tops toward the buildings of the 
University in their setting of great trees. She 
saw nothing of the beauty of the flaming maples, 
oaks, and beeches, their summer green splotched 
now with great red and yellow daubs from 
autumn’s lavish brush. 

She was experiencing her first spell of real 
loneliness. She felt, too, beyond a doubt, that 
in this new world of Lucille’s and Dick’s she 
would never find real understanding, real com¬ 
panionship. But she would not be unfair to 


82 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

them. She believed that both had honestly 
tried to make her at home with them. It was 
just that she did not fit in. Perhaps, though, 
they were as much at sea as to how to make her 
feel at ease with them as she was to understand 
them. 

Yes, she decided, it would be better if they 
went on without her. Her presence would no 
doubt retard their companionship with their 
father. She would go now and speak to her 
uncle. Then she remembered that she had just 
seen him leaving the house. 

She stood forlornly looking down at the pass¬ 
ing motors and pedestrians on the far side of 
the avenue. A tear trickled down one cheek, 
but she did not know it. She was alone in a 
world so full of people. She knew that she was 
dangerously near self-pity, but that she must 
not give way to it. There were any number 
of lonely people in the world. Why, the Uni¬ 
versity was filled with lonely boys and girls, 
some, like herself, who had neither father nor 
mother, but who had, in addition, the handicap 
of having to earn their living while trying to 
get an education. 

There was Namar Harjad, for instance. 


PREPARATIONS 83 

Half the world between him and his country, 
and doubly handicapped because of the lack 
of sympathy between him and the other stu¬ 
dents. His race, his ignorance of the funda¬ 
mentals of life in America, set him apart from 
the others. Ajid yet, he seemed to feel no bit¬ 
terness in his loneliness. He appeared wholly 
absorbed in his own affairs, unconscious of the 
difference between himself and those who passed 
him by. If she stayed here, she meant at least 
to try to get others to befriend him. 

But the thought of staying was not a pleasant 
one. She was more eager for the trip with her 
uncle and cousins than she had at first realized. 
Just the thought of giving it up left an ache 
somewhere in the region of her heart. She told 
herself that, after all, she could not disrupt the 
plans made for her by her parents, so long ago. 
They had put her into Uncle Sidney’s hands 
until such time as she no longer needed a guard¬ 
ian. If it was his wish that she accompany 
them, there was nothing for her to do but com¬ 
ply. It would only make things more difficult 
for him, now, if she insisted on being left be¬ 
hind. He had been so kind, so sympathetic, so 
interested in her, since her coming here, that 


84 


ONE GIRL^S WAY 

she felt that she would rather bear anything than 
to gi’ieve him, or interfere with his plans in any 
way. 

She knew, suddenly, that above all things, 
she wanted to belong here; to belong to Uncle 
Sidney, and Lucille, and Dick. She wanted 
them to like her; she wanted them to love her; 
she wanted them to need her, so badly that they 
could not give her up, not for anything. Where 
was it she had read that good always triumphs ? 
To believe in the ultimate good. That was the 
way — the way to happiness. She would try; 
try her hardest to believe that in time, she could 
fill the position with them that she longed to fill. 
If one tried hard enough, surely nothing but 
good could result. 

“ Miss Anise! ” It was Dora’s voice, from 
the doorway. 

Anise turned swiftly, startled out of her un¬ 
happy reverie. 

“ I knocked, but you didn’t hear. Miz Della 
said you were in your room.” 

Her face was alight with eagerness and her 
hands were twisting excitedly at the edge of 
her white apron. 

“Oh, Miss Anise!” she exclaimed. “It’s 


PREPARATIONS 85 

that Namar Harjad. I just thought I’d better 
come and tell you.” 

Anise moved instinctively toward the mirror 
for a hasty glance, anxious to assure herself that 
her recent emotions had left no trace upon her 
countenance. 

“ Is he here? ” she asked, wondering why he 
should come again to the house where he had 
received such an unsympathetic welcome. 

“ Now, Miss Anise — ” Her tone was dis¬ 
tinctively aggrieved. “ You don’t s’pose he’d 
run the risk of being treated like ‘ dirt ’ again, 
do you? ” 

“ Why, Dora! ” 

“ Well, Miss Anise, it’s so, and you know it. 
I just wanted to tell you, he’s been walking past 
the house, up and down, up and down. Once 
I thought he was gonna come up the steps, but 
he didn’t. He took a letter out of his pocket, 
and I thought sure then, from the way he looked 
at it, and looked in here, that it was for you. 
I guess he got too discouraged, thinking about 
the other night, to try and see you again. I 
guess he missed seeing you at lectures and’s been 
wondering. Oh, Miss Anise, ain’t it a shame, 
you got to go away right now, just when — ” 


86 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ Why, Dora — 

“ And say, Miss Anise, is this here desert 
country you’re going to, is it the Sarah Desert 
where all them men sheiks live, that steals all the 
good-looking American girls what tries to cross 
it? Honest, Miss Anise, ain’t you all afraid 
to go running off to those heathen countries? 
Me, I’m glad I can stay in this country.” 

“I’m afraid you’ve been seeing too many 
movies, Dora. The Sahara desert is in Africa, 
and I doubt if we’ll go there. You mustn’t be¬ 
lieve all you see on the screen, Dora, nor yet all 
the things you read. You’ve got to make al¬ 
lowances for people’s imagination. Of course, 
there have been some who have had exciting ex¬ 
periences in such places, but I’ve an idea that 
our visit will be very tame, compared to the 
heroines of the screen.” 

“ Well, you will be careful, won’t you. Miss 
Anise? ” She was edging nearer the door. 
“You see, I hate awful bad to see you go. 
There’s something awful human about you, 
Miss Anise. You treat people like they had 
some feelin’s, like you knew that down under¬ 
neath, everybody is pretty much the same.” 

“Why, Dora!” Anise held out an eager 


PREPARATIONS 87 

hand and grasped hers. “ Of course, we’re all 
the same, underneath. It’s just that some of 
us have a few more advantages than others, and 
some of us are born in ease, while others seem 
to have all the hardships.” 

“ That’s what I always say. Some are just 
born right into all the good things, and don’t 
have nothing to worry over.” 

“ Not exactly, Dora. Their lives may be 
easy in some respects, but — Why, Dora! You 
don’t think any one can go through life without 
trouble, do you? ” 

“ Well, I guess there’s some that makes their 
own trouble, but you ain’t that kind. Miss Anise. 
You’re just too nice, and good. There’s Miz 
Della calling. I’ve got to go — ” 

A little glow of pleasure lighted Anise’s eyes, 
and a tiny smile played at intervals about her 
lips, the rest of the evening. Dora’s words had 
given her the confidence she needed. They 
held out hope for the ultimate success of 
her plan — the plan to earn for herself a place 
in the hearts of her uncle and cousins. 




CHAPTER VII 


DEPARTURE 

In the thrill of approaching departure, Anise 
had no time to indulge in further thoughts of 
self. The last of her own packing was done. 
A tearful Lucille, however, was having diffi¬ 
culty in deciding just what to take and what 
to leave behind, since her father, learning of 
her extensive preparations, had insisted that 
just half of what she was planning on would be 
more than sufficient. Anise, hesitatingly offer¬ 
ing her services, was surprised at the eagerness 
with which they were accepted. 

“I’m simply exhausted!” Lucille panted, 
flinging herself into a chair, already filled with 
a fluffy heap of rainbow-hued lingerie, her 
lower lip protruding in a petulant curve, and 
her smouldering eyes half hidden under the 
brown mop of hair that had flung itself forward 
at her hurried movement. 

“ You’ll crush those things,” Anise cautioned 

88 


DEPARTURE 


89 


her, gently. She guessed correctly that Lu¬ 
cille’s tears were perilously near the surface. 

“ Let them crush! They’ll not be half so 
crushed as I am! I simply don’t know what 
to take and what to leave. Dad’s such an old 
bear! As though he knows what a girl ought 
to wear! I bet Aunt Della or Dick has been 
talking. I don’t see why they think it’s part of 
their duty to criticize my every action. Dick’s 
far from being a paragon, if you ask me. And 
I bet, right now, he’s got more luggage than I 
have. I bet anything he’s even taking his foot¬ 
ball regalia in case he needs to impress some 
native over there with his importance. I never 
saw any one quite so full of conceit as Dick. 
You’d think he was old Atlas himself, and that 
the earth would go hurtling off into space if it 
wasn’t for his mighty efforts to hold it in place. 
He gloats over his strength as a Samson 
might. I hope the East takes it out of him.” 

She seemed to have forgotten the disorder 
about her and the necessity for action. She 
slumped even lower in her chair and studied 
the tips of each patent slipper, extended full- 
length before her. 

“ But, Lucille,” Anise endeavored to bring 


90 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

her back to reality. “ We’re leaving at two, 
and it’s nearly ten-thirty now. Hadn’t we bet¬ 
ter hurry? ” 

“You can put in anything you choose! ” Lu¬ 
cille told her, with a shrug of her shoulders now 
half buried in wisps of clinging silk and georg¬ 
ette. “ I’m simply fed up with trying to please 
Dad. Everything I do is wrong. You might 
run down, though, and ask him to come up and 
superintend the job.” 

“ You know he’s busy, Lucille,” Anise softly 
reproved her. 

Appraisingly, her gaze wandered over the 
piles of clothing on bed, chairs, and divan. 

She looked up to find their Aunt Della stand¬ 
ing in the doorway. 

Lucille flung out both arms in a dramatic 
gesture. 

“ Well, Aunt Della, I guess you and Dick 
are satisfied, now that I’ve got to leave half 
my things.” She sniffed pathetically. “ I 
shouldn’t think you’d want your own family 
going around looking like frumps.” 

Their aunt surveyed the disorder, then her 
eyes rested on Lucille. ^ 

“ You’ve been having too much excitement, 


DEPARTURE 


91 


Lucille, these last two days,” she said, quietly. 
“ Run and take a hot tub, and then jump into 
my bed. I’ll have Dora bring you a glass of 
hot milk and draw the shades. You can sleep 
until luncheon. Anise and I will look after 
this.” 

Lucille rose with a distinctly relieved air 
and moved toward the door, where she paused. 
“ I didn’t mean to be horrid. Aunt Della. I 
know you’re right. I’m worn to a frazzle. 
Just put in anything at all. It’s immaterial 
to me what I wear. I’ll not see any of my 
friends, and I’m sure I sha’n’t care what 
strangers think. Dad’s friends are bound to 
be dubs, if they’re anything like the places he 
intends to visit.” 

“ Paris is hardly considered a ‘ dub ’ place, 
and I know he means to stop there for a time. 
Perhaps you’ll be able to pick up a few of the 
extravagancies that you have to leave behind. 
It’s much more sensible, Lucille, than being 
burdened with things you may possibly not 
need.” 

Lucille shrugged disinterestedly. “ Well, 
put in anything you like. I guess, after all, 
your taste is about as good as any one’s.” 


92 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ I hope so, Lucille. At least I believe you’ll 
approve of my taste in this.” She took from 
her pocket a blue-velvet box and held it out 
toward her niece. 

Wide-eyed, and alert with anticipation, Lu¬ 
cille swung about and took the box into her own 
hands. 

“ Ah, Aunt Della! It’s beautiful I I’ve cov¬ 
eted this sapphire pin ever since I saw it in 
Kendall’s window months ago. I’ve looked at 
it and looked at it, but I never could save enough 
money to buy it, myself!” She moved to the 
window, holding it up to the light, her face 
glowing with pleasure. 

“ Just a little parting gift, dear. I wanted 
you to have something to remind you that Aunt 
Della is thinking of you and hoping — that — 
that — your trip will be more pleasant than 
you anticipate.” 

She turned toward Anise who had been bend¬ 
ing speculatively over a row of satin slippers, 
but now stood beside Lucille. 

“ Anise doesn’t seem to care much for jew¬ 
elry. I thought, though, that she might like 
these lapis lazuli beads. They match her eyes 
so beautifully.” 


DEPARTURE 


93 


‘‘ Oh, Aunt Della! They’re lovely! ” But 
her pleased smile was more a response to the 
gentle gaze of her aunt, than for the gift. 

She held the beads lovingly between her two 
hands, letting the light play about their loveli¬ 
ness, then moving toward the dressing-table, 
she slipped them about her neck. They did 
match her eyes. She was not vain, but she was 
feminine enough to be pleased with anything 
that enhanced her appearance. Her Aunt 
Letty had instilled into her, long ago, the 
emptiness of mere beauty, but she had also ex¬ 
plained to her that to look one’s best was not 
a sign of vanity. Rather, a slovenly person was 
the result of a slovenly mind. One owed it to 
one’s self to take the best of care of what nature 
had given to one. 

“ Well, run along, Lucille,” her aunt ad¬ 
monished. “You need every minute of rest 
you can get.” Then she turned with a sigh to 
the disorder about her. 

Lucille stopped long enough to give her aunt 
another hug. “ I guess we don’t any of us half 
appreciate you. Aunt Della. We’re such a 
selfish bunch, Dick and I, and — yes. Father! 
It’s just selfishness, his wanting us to go trail- 


94 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

ing half-way round the world with him. I 
can’t see what fun he expects to get out of it.” 

“ Maybe it isn’t fun he’s looking for, Lu¬ 
cille. Some day, when you’re a parent, per¬ 
haps you’ll understand.” 

“ Of course you’d take his part, being his 
sister,” Lucille pouted. 

“ I hope that can be said of you, some day. 
It mystifies me, how much you and Dick find 
to disagree over.” 

“ Oh, Dick — ! ” Lucille said, contemp¬ 
tuously. “ He’ll never hold a candle to Dad I 
He’s too stuck on himself.” 

“ He’s young. But, do run along, Lucille, 
we’ll never get through! ” 

“ Well, thanks again, for the pin. It’s simply 
gorgeous, and I’m perfectly wild about it.” 
With a little wave of a slender hand, she was 
gone. 

“ Now, Anise, we’ll have to work fast. 
Really, I had no idea Lucille had so many frivo¬ 
lous clothes. For a girl of her age, it’s — ” 
She did not finish her sentence, but stood look¬ 
ing thoughtfully at the row of slippers that had 
engaged Anise’s attention. “ She hasn’t a 
sensible pair of shoes in the whole lot.” She 


DEPARTURE 


95 

paused, thoughtfully. “ Sidney’s going down¬ 
town for a few minutes. Suppose, dear, you go 
along with him. You can exchange these two 
pair of beige satins that haven’t been worn, for 
something in leather with sensible heels. I 
could have them send over several pairs and we 
could make a better selection perhaps, but de¬ 
liveries are so uncertain, and we’ve so little 
time. Just get something as near as possible 
like those you have on.” 

Anise was glad of the chance for a few mo¬ 
ments alone with her uncle. She was eager to 
know more of the itinerary of their journey. 
Neither Dick nor Lucille had seemed interested 
enough to ask for details beyond that first 
night’s discussion, but Anise, to whom the trip 
meant the realization of many dreams, was 
filled with a growing curiosity as to what 
awaited them on the other side of the Atlantic. 
She had an idea that their route would not be 
the prescribed course of most tourists’ parties. 
And though she was anxious to see and learn of 
all the famous historical and natural beauties 
of the old world, still she was hoping for a sight 
of some of those secluded, little-known places 
which the hardened traveler revels in; out-of- 


96 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the-way beauty spots which the casual traveler 
misses entirely. 

But her uncle seemed too preoccupied with 
his thoughts to be aware of her longing to talk. 
He drove carefully, intent on the business of 
successfully avoiding traffic jams, and to her 
hesitant attempts at conversation, he responded 
briefly, and with such a preoccupied air that she 
soon gave up the attempt. 

Her errand accomplished, she waited in the 
car in front of the office building where her 
uncle was attending to the business which had 
brought him in town. 

It was getting on toward noon. More than 
one group of students passed her on their way 
to lunch-room or boarding-house for the noon 
meal. She knew few of them well enough to 
greet them with more than a reserved smile, or 
a slight lifting of the hand. Thinking how 
little her departure would mean to that small 
army of young people she was leaving behind, 
in the halls of learning, there was perhaps not 
one, she realized, who regretted her departure, 
and she was conscious again, of that dull ache 
of loneliness which had assailed her the previous 
day. She tried to imagine Lucille’s and Dick’s 


DEPARTURE 


97 

emotions at having to part with the swarm of 
young people who apparently meant so much 
to them. And thinking thus, she came, in a 
way, to understand better their reluctance to 
give up their present plan of life. 

Short as had been her own college experience, 
she was certain that there was not one of her 
own sex who would actually miss her. Of 
course, there was Namar Har jad. She believed 
that, in a way, he might regret her going. He 
alone, out of the many she had met, seemed to 
look upon life as she did. He seemed to re¬ 
flect in a way, her own reserve, her own dignity; 
a dignity that held off those bright, gay types 
that fluttered about Lucille. He seemed, too, 
to have, in spite of his aloof bearing, an eager¬ 
ness to see, to do, and to absorb all that went on 
about him. It was as though he stood on a pin¬ 
nacle, yet looking down eagerly at all that went 
on about him, greedy lest he miss a glimpse of 
what lay about. 

She wished she might have seen him, before 
leaving, if only to tell him of her departure. It 
seemed strange that she should actually be going 
to his country — a country which to her might 
have been non-existent, for all the interest it 



98 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


had ever held for her. She thought of the re¬ 
solve she had made to find out something about 
it. In the hurry of preparations for departure, 
the matter had been forgotten. 

If only she could see him now, ask him the 
names of some books that would help her to a 
better knowledge of his land! 

She looked at her watch. Ten minutes to 
twelve. Rosetti’s, where he waited on table 
was a block away. He would be busy — too 
busy for even a few words. Still, she might 
order a cup of tea and a sandwich. Anything 
for an excuse to say a few words. Besides, she 
wanted him to know that she was still interested 
in him, that Lucille’s and Dick’s treatment of 
him had in no way affected her interest, unless 
perhaps to increase it. And certain that he was 
the only one of her college acquaintances who 
might miss her, or regret her going, she felt 
that at least she was entitled to the pleasure of 
saying farewell. 

Her decision had no sooner been made than 
her uncle appeared, coming through the re¬ 
volving door of the office building. 

“ Have you grown tired of waiting. Anise? ” 

He looked at his watch, pursed his mouth. 


DEPARTURE 99 

then hurried to the far side of the car and 
slipped in under the wheel. 

“ I asked Della to have luncheon at twelve, 
and weVe only ten minutes to get there. We’ll 
miss our train if we’re not careful.” 

With a sigh, Anise settled herself beside him. 

There was evidently no time for bidding 
Namar Harjad farewell. It saddened her to 
think that it would be at least another year 
before she would see him again. And so much 
could happen in a year. She might, in fact, 
never see him again. Who can count on what 
the future holds ? The unexpectedness of this 
trip abroad was only proof that one could never 
tell what was coming next. 

Well, she did not mean to quarrel with fate. 
She had set herself a task, that would in itself, 
keep her wholly occupied. If she could help in 
any way to bring Lucille, Dick, and her uncle 
into closer sympathy with each other, and at 
the same time, make them love her, she had as 
much as she could do, without wasting her time 
and thoughts over what could not be helped, or 
on what lay behind her. 

And thinking of all the many, no doubt, un¬ 
expected thrills and pleasures that lay in wait 


100 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


for her, she was certain that her unfortunate 
friendship with Namar Harjad was a thing of 
the past, a something to lay away between the 
lavender-scented layers of one’s half-forgotten 


memories. 



CHAPTER VIII 


TOWARD THE BECKONING EAST 

To dismiss Namar Harjad from her thoughts 
was one thing, to forget him entirely was quite 
another. To be sure, Anise had little difficulty 
in putting him out of her mind during their fran¬ 
tic rush to reach the boat before it sailed with¬ 
out them. 

In New York, her uncle had more business 
to attend to. Lucille, emphatically declaring 
that she would not sail with them unless she had 
a new sport coat and hat to match, had made 
a hurried round of the most exclusive shops. 
Her indifference to the assortment of wearing 
apparel which Anise and her aunt had packed 
for her was gone. Her wardrobe for the coming 
trip absorbed her wholly. With their arrival in 
New York, and the brief glimpses they had of 
Fifth Avenue’s enticing displays of feminine 
apparel, all her natural luxury-loving instincts 
were rearoused. 

And so it had been a mad scramble to reach 


101 


102 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the pier. Lucille, triumphant in the possession 
of a very swagger sport coat and hat, ignored 
completely Dick’s disgruntled attitude because 
of his father’s leniency in humoring her, and he 
prophesied over and over that she would be 
the cause of their missing the boat. 

Their father, an anxious frown on his brow, 
alternately glancing at his watch, and then 
through the taxi window at the traffic jam in 
which they seemed hopelessly wedged, made 
no response to Dick’s gloomy utterances. 

Even Anise, trying to remain unperturbed, 
found it almost impossible. The city, with its 
nerve-racking noises, its unending crowds of 
people, pushing and jostling in a seemingly 
endless scramble, its over power ingly lofty 
buildings, its rush and roar, in no way tended to 
restore her equanimity. Lucille had been espe¬ 
cially unreasonable ever since leaving home, 
and both she and Dick had seemed to exult in 
throwing barbed remarks at each other, regard¬ 
less of time or place. Anise’s attempts at 
peacemaking had been without visible results. 

On shipboard, she told herself, things would 
be better, that is, if they ever reached it. It 
looked very uncertain. 


THE BECKONING EAST 103 

They did reach it; just a few minutes before 
the gangplank was withdrawn. 

Anise, standing beside her uncle, thrilled to 
the depths at the sights and sounds about her. 
The awe-inspiring view of the receding shore, 
its crowded piers slowly merging into the indis¬ 
tinguishable gray that was the city’s back¬ 
ground, which became in time only a blur on the 
horizon, left her with a feeling that she was but 
a very insignificant part of this great universe. 

“ Well, Anise, are you and Dad going to 
stand here all night? ” Lucille was beside her. 
“ Come and see my things! Our stateroom’s 
so crowded I could hardly get in the door! ” 
Her eyes shining with pleasure, and an excited 
flush on her cheeks, she grasped Anise by the 
arm, and hurried her toward the companionway. 

“ We’ll see you later. Dad! ” she called back 
to her father, who stood conversing with another 
passenger. “ There are at least two dozen 
notes, flowers all over the place, enough fruit 
and candy to last a month, and a stack of books 
and magazines. The old crowd sure did well 
by me. I wasn’t expecting anything like it, 
though of course I knew there’d be something.” 

Lucille had not exaggerated. Anise liter- 


104 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

ally gasped at the array of floral offerings which 
filled the tiny stateroom. She gave Lucille a 
timid hug and a smile of genuine admiration. 

“ It must be wonderful, Lucille, to have so 
many friends, and to have them love you so 
much.” 

To her surprise, Lucille’s gayety seemed to 
drop away from her. 

“ Love me? ” she said, as she flicked open one 
of the magazines with its photographs of stage 
and movie stars in soft sepia on highly glazed 
paper. 

Anise looked at her in puzzled silence, then, 
as Lucille said nothing, she ventured. “ Why 
should they have sent you all these,” with a 
wave of her hand, “ if they don’t care for you — 
very much? ” 

“ You’ve got a lot to learn. Anise. Some¬ 
times I wonder what’s to become of you. Dick 
and I will surely have our hands full, if we 
manage to keep you intact until you reach the 
age of discretion. Your superb faith in the 
kindness of the world, and its generous motives, 
is rather appalling.” 

“ But, Lucille — ” 

“Listen, Anise. There’s a reason behind each 


THE BECKONING EAST 105 

one of these gifts, and not one of them has any¬ 
thing to do with love!’’ 

Anise turned from the huge basket of Ameri¬ 
can Beauties in which her nose had been buried. 

“ Surely, Lucille — ” 

“ No, I’m not mistaken. To each of them, 
I represent the answer to their prayers. Some 
of them are merely showing their gratitude for 
my helping them to make the Gammas. Some 
of them are wild about ‘ our hero ’, Dick, and 
flatter me with the attentions they’re afraid to 
bestow on him. Some of them hope to make 
our crowd. Some owe me for a lot of parties and 
other things.” 

“But you seem to get so much pleasure out 
of it, Lucille, and — ” 

“ Certainly I do. Popularity means a lot 
to me, but I’m honest enough to know that it 
doesn’t come of its own accord. I’m simply in 
a position to help a lot of them in different ways, 
and that’s the reason they’re so devoted.” 

“ Maybe they care more than you think they 
do, Lucille.” 

“Yes, maybe! Just wait and see how things 
are when we get back. Their attentions will 
have been switched to some one who has filled 


106 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

my place with them. I’ll be a back number, 
especially if Dick isn’t on the team next year. 
And who knows what’ll happen in a year? ” she 
added, gloomily. 

“ Maybe you’ll not want their devotion, then, 
Lucille, unless it really counts for something.” 

“ Yes, maybe the moon is made of green 
cheese,” scornfully. “ Ideals may be all right 
for you. Anise, but you’ll soon find out how far 
you’ll get on them.” She was plucking petu¬ 
lantly at the yellow petals of a huge chrysan¬ 
themum that leaned toward her from a basket 
on the little writing-table, then scattering the 
yellow petals indifferently to the rug, she 
reached for a row of embossed leather books on 
the far side of it. 

“ They’re for you. Dean Hendricks and his 
wife sent them. Nice of them. I opened it 
by mistake. Sorry.” 

Anise took them eagerly into her arms. 
They were indeed an unexpected treat. Aunt 
Letty was the only one she had thought of who 
might have sent a parting gift, but she knew 
that her aunt had scarcely had time to receive 
her letter telling of their hurried departure. 

“ And here’s a letter. Dad gave it to me at 


THE BECKONING EAST 107 

the hotel this morning to give to you, but I for¬ 
got it. It was in his mail.” Lucille pushed 
aside her own pile of opened correspondence 
and brought to light a somewhat soiled enve¬ 
lope of cheap white paper. She looked it over 
curiously, then handed it to her cousin with a 
little smile of amusement. “I’m going up on 
deck. It’s too stuffy in here. Come along when 
you’ve finished, and tell us about it. I’m sure 
Dad and Dick will find it as amusing as it looks.” 

The tone of her voice more than her words, 
brought a flush of embarrassment to Anise’s 
cheeks. She stood regarding the bulky envel¬ 
ope, wondering from whom it could have come, 
yet in no seeming hurry to learn. 

When she did open it, she noted with relief 
Dora’s name at the end. As she seated herself 
before the writing-table, she acknowledged to 
herself that she had been fearfully afraid that 
it might have come from Namar Harjad. Just 
why she had thought so, she could hardly have 
told. Perhaps it was the gleam of mischief in 
Lucille’s eyes, or her own curiosity about the 
letter which Dora had said he held in his hands 
as he had strolled before the house that day. 

She admitted to herself, that she would have 


108 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

liked to have some word from him, if only to 
make sure that he knew of their hasty departure. 
She was glad, indeed, though, that this was not 
from him. She would have been distinctly dis¬ 
appointed, for ISTamar Harjad, she believed, 
would never have sent her such a forlorn-look¬ 
ing missive. 

Turning to the first page, she read: 

“ Dear Miss Anise: 

I just had to write and tell you again how 
much I thank you for the check. Of course I 
thanked you the day you left, but you didn’t 
know then, just how much kick the whole family 
was going to get out of it, too. Pop you know’s 
always been wanting that old accordian in Lieb- 
shut’s second-hand store. Well, I got it for 
him. You oughta seen him and the kids when 
he played it. He could, too. I mean, play it. 
The kids got the roller skates they been wanting 
for over a year, and Mom got that new patent 
medicine she’s been wanting to try for her kid¬ 
neys. And me — well, I took in three shows on 
a stretch. Miss Anise. One, was one of them 
high society pictures about two women and their 
husbands getting mixed up. One was about a 
poor girl giving up everything to take care of 
a crippled brother, that was awful mean to her, 
but she got her man in the end, which I was 
sure she would. Gee, Miss Anise, it was sad 


THE BECKONING EAST 109 

in the end, but awful sweet. When the brother 
dies, I mean. The other, was one of them sheik 
pictures, which brings me to why I’m writing 
you, principly. I want you to be awful careful. 
The sheik in this picture wasn’t a bit good, in 
spite of his good looks. He was a regular old 
devil, which makes me think that after all, 
maybe I had this Namar Harjad wrong, espe¬ 
cially since he’s lit out from here, without tell¬ 
ing nobody where he’s went. Yes’m, it’s the 
gospel truth. I got it straight from my cousin 
who’s got a girl friend who’s sister goes with 
the young gentleman that delivers ice to this 
here boarding-house where Namar Harjad had 
a room. And thinking about how he paraded 
up and down before the house, the day before 
you went away, and about what funny ideas 
these foreigners have about some things, and 
about you having so much money, and no mother 
or father to look after you, made me think you 
oughta be awful careful. There’s no telling. 
Miss Anise. He might be following you, and 
he might have a lot of friends, some of them dark 
men that wears white kimonos and ride on white 
Iiorses on the desert with long curved knives 
and black mustaches and beards, all hairy you 
know, with white rags tied around their heads 
like I wear to clean in to keep the dirt off of my 
hair. There’s no telling but what he might have 
a lot of them waiting over there on his desert 
to capture you and keep you till your uncle 
gives him a lot of money. Or maybe — Well, 


no 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


I guess I oughtn’t to scare you too much, Miss 
Anise. I just wanted to make sure you’re awful 
careful in them heathen countries, and to be on 
the lookout for this Namar Harjad so he don’t 
put nothin over on you. 

Well, I guess I better stop, since I used up 
all of Benny’s school tablet on this. 

Benny and Lil’s having a fight about which 
one’s gonna mail this to you, so I said one could 
carry it to the box and the othern drop it in, 
that is if there’s anything left of it. 

They’re just crazy about you. Miss Anise, 
even though they never seen you. It’s on ac¬ 
count of the skates, I guess. Kids is like that. 
Course I told them a lot about you, too. 

Well, I hope you’ll have a nice visit, and don’t 
meet with no sheiks. 

Yours truly, 

Dora Gimble. 

P. S. Miss Della told me the address of the 
hotel in New York where you’re gonna be be¬ 
fore you get the boat. She’s leaving for Florida 
to-morrow, but she got me a place with a friend 
of hern. It sure pays to try and please people, 
especially when you haft to, don’t it? ” 

The thoughtful expression which had been on 
Anise’s face as she started reading slowly gave 
place to one of amusement. But as she read of 
Namar Harjad’s departure, her face became 


THE BECKONING EAST 111 

grave again. That he, too, should leave at the 
same time they left was a coincidence. But 
again, the smiles quirked the corners of her 
mouth and spread into a hearty laugh. Dora 
was delicious! Dora, with her insatiable crav¬ 
ing for romance, her over-developed imagina¬ 
tion! 

Still smiling to herself, she went in search 
of Lucille, leaving the letter behind. She did 
not believe either Lucille, her uncle or Dick 
would be in the least interested in its contents 
when they learned it was from Dora. 

Lucille had evidently forgotten it entirely, 
for she made no further mention of it. She was 
too excited, and too wholly absorbed in seeing 
all that was to be seen, and enjoying all that was 
to be enjoyed of their first night on shipboard. 

Anise, too, had no thought for anything but 
her new and exciting surroundings. The lux¬ 
urious salons with their gleaming mirrors and 
floors reflecting their equally luxurious furnish¬ 
ings, as well as the lavish apparel of the women; 
the ship’s officers in their immaculate uniforms, 
the flowers, the music, the laughter, all suc¬ 
ceeded iri banishing from her mind everything 
but the glamour of her new surroundings. 


112 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Dick and her uncle, in conventional black and 
white, were as attentive as either she or Lucille 
could wish. For the first time in her life, she 
was pleased with the thought of growing up, 
and she felt sure that, contrary to her expecta¬ 
tions, the process was to be an amazingly de¬ 
lightful one. And for the first time since she 
had been with them, they seemed in perfect 
harmony with each other. Her uncle’s face 
seemed to reflect a sort of suppressed pride, as 
he made them acquainted with certain of his 
friends. 

Lucille was undoubtedly in one of her best 
moods. She was radiant in a flame chiffon, 
with slippers of gold brocade, and whirled an 
ostrich fan of matching flame, its curling fronds 
tipped with gold. 

“ Quite too mature for a schoolgirl,” Anise 
heard a woman behind her whisper to a com¬ 
panion. 

She knew the woman was speaking of Lucille, 
for since her entrance all eyes had been held 
by her every move. Perhaps it was this fact 
which had acted as a tonic to Lucille’s better 
impulses. She was delightfully docile to any 
and all of her father’s suggestions, and to Dick, 


THE BECKONING EAST 113 

who hovered between her and Anise, she was all 
that a loving sister could be. Never before 
had Anise seen her so sweetly radiant. 

Anise, in soft yellow crepe that seemed a 
counterpart of her golden hair, was content to 
follow where Lucille led. She had no ambition 
to achieve the popularity which seemed to mean 
so much to her cousin. 

As she watched Lucille and Dick laughing 
together as they danced, she wondered if, after 
all, her uncle had not been needlessly alarmed 
about his children. To the eye, they appeared 
a very devoted brother and sister. If only they 
would continue as they were at present, what 
a delightful trip this would be. 


CHAPTER IX 


•> 


AT SEA 

Anise’s hopes for the peaceful continuance of 
their voyage were not to be realized. Morning 
revealed a Lucille who tossed and moaned with 
alarming intensity. 

“ I’m dying, Anise! I know I’m dying. Oh, 
my head! Oh, oh! ” 

Anise, murmuring sympathetic assurance of 
immediate aid, hurried into dressing-gown and 
slippers. 

“ Surely not, Lucille. Why, you were per¬ 
fectly well, last night. One doesn’t — ” 

“ Well, I’m sick now! I know I’m going to 
die!” 

“ Of course you’re not! ” Anise soothed, 
then stood uncertainly looking down upon her. 
“ Shall I call the stewardess and send for Uncle 
Sidney? Maybe Dick’s up, and he’ll get the 
doctor.” 

“Don’t be such an idiot! Oh, oh! Can’t 
you see I’m seasick! Yes, be sure to call Dick! 

114 


AT SEA 115 

It’ s as good as he wants — to know I’m seasick! 
He wanted to bet I would be. He knows I’ve 
a delicate system.” She sat up and looked 
fiercely at her cousin. 

Anise was alarmed at the pasty color of her 
skin, and the dark circles under her eyes. “ Let 
me get Uncle Sidney, Lucille,” she coaxed. 
“ He’ll know what to do.” 

“ Not if Dick — has to know.” She swayed 
backward and buried her face into the pillows. 
“ It’s just my luck,” she moaned, “ just when I 
thought I was going to have a good time.” 

“ Lots of people get seasick, Lucille.” 

“ What — other people get, doesn’t concern 
me! It’s what I get, that does! Dick will sim¬ 
ply gloat! Anise Decard, if you tell him — ! ” 

“ I won’t, if you’d rather I wouldn’t. But 
won’t they think it strange, if you don’t go up.” 

“You can tell them I’m tired from dancing 
so much last night, and that I’ll take my meals 
here — meals, ugh! Tell them I want to finish 
a book. Oh, tell them anything! Oh, Anise, 
I’m dying! Oh, oh! ” 

Anise, uncertain just what to do, contented 
herself with bathing Lucille’s face and hands 
with ice-water, and when at last her cousin lay 




116 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

back, with eyes closed, she moved toward the 
door. She peeped out into the passage, hoping 
for a glimpse of some one who might render 
some real assistance to her cousin. 

She looked squarely into the eyes of Dick 
who was coming down the passageway toward 
their door. 

“ Hello I ” he exclaimed. “ Was just wonder¬ 
ing if you girls didn’t want a stroll on deck be¬ 
fore breakfast. Give you a better appetite, and 
pep you up for the games.” 

“ Why — why, yes — of course, but — but 
— ”, slowly withdrawing her head through the 
opened door. 

“ Oh, I see! ” with a grave glance at the flut¬ 
tering ends of her satin kimono that showed 
through the doorway. “ Well, slide into some¬ 
thing, quick, and I’ll wait here. And tell Lu¬ 
cille some of her new friends have been asking 
for her. That’ll get her out in a hurry,” he 
added, in an undertone. 

“ But Lucille — can’t — isn’t getting up — 
yet. She — ” 

“ Shut the door! ” Lucille hissed from the 
bed. “ Don’t stand there, and — ” 

“Why, Sis! What’s wrong?” The toe of 







AT SEA 


117 

his shoe had edged itself between door and 
jamb, so that Anise found it impossible to obey 
Lucille’s command. 

“You sound rather peeved about some¬ 
thing! ” Dick’s eyes were twinkling with mis¬ 
chief and a note of glee sounded in his next 
words. “ It can’t be, Sis? Honest, it can’t 
be that our little sister is seasick, after all her 
boasting? ” 

“ Boasting? It’s you who do enough for the 
whole family! Get away from that door. 
Anise. If he sticks his head in again, he’s go¬ 
ing to feel this slipper on it.” 

“ Boudoir- or dancing-slipper? ” Dick in¬ 
quired laconically. “ I certainly don’t intend 
having my eyes put out with one of those spike- 
heeled affairs you wore last night.” 

“ You’ll find out which, to your sorrow, if 
you don’t get away from that door! ” Lucille 
threatened. “ Just wait, Dick Lyman, I’ll 
get even with you. Oh, Anise! Make him 
go! Oh, oh — ” 

“ Please, Dick. Can’t you see she’s really 
ill? ” 

Dick grinned at her. “ She’ll live through 
it, and who knows but that we’ll be next, since 


118 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

it’s begun to blow so. I wouldn’t let it worry 
me, though, Anise,” he advised, as he swung 
about. “ If you can get away from her — ” he 
nodded toward the stairway. 

But Anise had closed the door. She was be¬ 
ginning to feel slightly dizzy, and the queer 
slant of the floor, and the dashing green spray 
showing through the porthole in no way helped 
her to regain her former equilibrium. 

All that day she and Lucille spent in their 
stateroom. Both were too ill to be concerned 
over the rough weather which the ship had en¬ 
countered, or to wonder whether or not Dick 
had succumbed to the general malady. Mr. 
Lyman’s sympathy and concern for them, and 
his prediction that by the next day they would 
both be feeling quite fit again, took the edge 
off their suffering. 

They looked at each other in speculative 
silence the next morning, when they awoke, and 
then broke into a joint laugh of relief. 

“ Well, we weathered the storm pretty well, 
didn’t we? But wait until I get something on 
that Dick! ” Lucille exulted, as she slipped into 
the new sport coat, preparatory to an early 
stroll on deck. “ I’ll surely make him smart! ” 


AT SEA 


119 


She was not long in finding the opening she 
sought. Late that afternoon, Anise and her 
uncle, in a sheltered corner of the boat deck 
were stretched out in their steamer-chairs, she 
with one of the leather-bound volumes of 
Shakespere that had been Dean and Mrs. 
Hendrick’s gift, and her uncle with a very un- 
interesting-looking book on economics. They 
looked up to see Lucille hurrying toward them. 

“Dad!” she exclaimed breathlessly, when 
she reached them. “ I wish you’d please do 
something about Dick! He’ll utterly disgrace 
us if he keeps on. He ought to be muzzled! 
No wonder the English consider Americans 
such bores! ” 

Her father had risen and had drawn her deck 
chair close to -his own. “Sit down, Lucille, 
and try to speak lower. There’s no need of 
taking the whole ship into your confidence.” 

Lucille flung herself into the chair, irritably 
kicking aside the rug. 

Her father stooped, folded it carefully, and 
spread it over her. 

“ It’s cooler than you think, Lucille. You 
don’t want to take cold.” 

She disregarded his concern for her. 


120 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ He’s down there in the lounge with that 
English captain I danced with the other night! ” 
There was no lightening of her aggrieved ex¬ 
pression. “ That Van Doran boy, and those 
two Oxford students with the monocles. 
Really Dad — ! ” She leaned back, breath¬ 
lessly, apparently overcome at Dick’s conduct. 

“ Just what did he say, Lucille? ” her father 
asked softly. 

“ Why — why — he was boasting about 
America being the greatest nation on earth! 
He was simply insufferable! It’s a wonder to 
me they didn’t take him out and pitch him 
overboard! As though we can compare with 
European countries, — in — culture — in art 
— in learning. Oh, Dad! He made me 
ashamed to think I was an American. They 
were so — so superior to him. They just 
didn’t argue at all. They just listened to his 
bragging about all our great men and about 
the natural wonders of our country, and about 
our wealth and about our winning their war for 
them! Oh, Dad! Can’t you do something to 
suppress him, before he — ” 

“ Are you sure, Lucille, that you’re not ex¬ 
aggerating? ” he asked, eyeing her sternly. 







AT SEA 121 

“ Surely Dick knows better than that. I 
thought he was sport enough — ” 

Anise moved uneasily, with the intention of 
slipping away, but her uncle reached out a de¬ 
taining hand. “ Stay here. Anise, there’s Dick 
now. I want you to hear what I have to say.” 

Dick was strolling toward them, looking 
singularly at ease with himself and the world. 
The breeze lifted his usually sleek dark hair and 
tossed it awry. He looked all that the term, 
“ good sport,” implied. 

“About time for tea, isn’t it?” he asked, 
coming to a halt beside them, and looking down 
questioningly on them from his superior height. 
“ What’s wrong. Sis; you seem slightly miffed 
about something? ” 

Lucille met his gaze with flashing eyes and 
a contemptuous twist of her lips. 

“ Sit down, Dick,” his father interposed, be¬ 
fore Lucille could speak. “I want to have a 
talk with you.” 

“ It’ll be a pleasure. Dad,” Dick assured 
him, swinging his chair about, and planting it 
beside his father. “It isn’t often you honor us 
so. We’ve hardly reached the stage, I guess, 
when we can fully appreciate the pearls of wis- 


122 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

dom that your lofty brain delights in. Rather 
Chinese, that — what? — as Reggie would put 
it.” 

“ Reggie — yes! ” burst forth Lucille. 
“ You’ve queered me with him, and — ” 

“I’ll do the talking this time, if you please, 
Lucille.” 

Silenced by a new note of sternness in their 
father’s voice, they sat, their eyes on him. 

“I’m wondering if any of you have the 
slightest idea about the business that has called 
me abroad? ” 

“ How could we have, Dad, since you’ve 
never thought fit to confide in us? ” Dick re¬ 
proached him, in a gentle voice. 

“I’ve always looked upon you as children, 
but I’m beginning to realize that it is time to 
make confidants of vou.” 

“ You’re right, there, Dad! Our minds may 
not be developed to the extent of yours, but 
we’re all there, just the same, and we’d rather 
be with you, than against you. Team work — 
ah I ” He beamed upon them all, but his glance 
lingered on Lucille, as though he were a bit 
uncertain of her. 

She read his look correctly, and promptly 


AT SEA 


123 

turned a shoulder toward him, though she re¬ 
frained from any further show of displeasure. 

Their father regarded them thoughtfully. 
“ I don’t believe I can go into the matter very 
deeply at present, but I can at least give you 
some idea of the situation. You know, of 
course, that for years, I’ve been connected with 
several firms doing business in foreign coun¬ 
tries. You know, too, that my experience in 
those fields led to my present connection with 
the Department of Commerce.” He paused, 
as though seeking in his mind the simplest man¬ 
ner in which to present the situation. “ Since 
the war, our country has had to scramble to 
hold on to her foreign trade. Naturally, with 
the other countries again able to look to their 
own interests, we have competition which we 
did not have a few years ago. That, however, is 
their privilege, as well as ours — to sell to whom 
they can, but it also has made us see that we must 
find new methods of approach, new fields for 
our various manufactures. In fact, we must 
create demands that have hitherto not existed. 
But like all good salesmen, we do not want 
to sell by depreciating our rival salesman’s 
goods or his company. In other words, we want 



124 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

to keep friends with our competitors, which 
means, simply, that we cannot afford to antag¬ 
onize any country on the globe, to push our own 
trade interests.” 

“ Fat chance any of them would have, getting 
the best of us, even if they did try it! ” Dick 
interrupted. “ I guess America — ” 

“ Right there you’re wrong, Dick. America 
has already been hurt, badly, in the very inter¬ 
ests she can least afford to lose. And strange 
to say, it is her own citizens, mostly, who have 
been the cause of the trouble.” 

“ They ought to be deported then, or locked 
up. 

“ But how would you like such treatment? ” 
“ Me? What have I got to do with it? ” 

“ Lucille has just been telling us of your 
boasting before some of our English friends.” 

“ Boasting? ” With a reproachful glance 
at his sister, then to his father: “ Surely, Dad, 
you know me better than that 1 You didn’t ex¬ 
pect me to swallow everything I heard about 
Europe without letting them know that 
America was on the map, too, did you? So 
that’s what’s the matter with Sis, is it? ” turn¬ 
ing again to her. 



“So that’s what’s the matter with Sis, is it?” 

Page 12 4 . 













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AT SEA 


125 

Lucille started to retort, but her father inter¬ 
rupted quickly, “ It really is a commendable 
sentiment, Dick, being proud of your own 
country. A person who is without pride in his 
own land is lacking in the fundamental principle 
of living. But to have pride in it, and then to 
boast of it, is quite another thing.” 

“ But I didn’t boast! Really Dad, I thought 
I was being very diplomatic about it all. Why 
these chaps think — ” 

His father lifted a remonstrating hand. “ On 
the whole, Dick, your attitude is perhaps no 
worse than the manner in which some belittle 
America. Lucille, here, seemed quite dis¬ 
turbed at the thought that we could possess 
the culture of the old world, or produce as ex¬ 
cellent art, or vie with them in historical set¬ 
tings. To be sure, our world is newer, but it 
was founded by men whose ideals and courage 
have had no equal. It was founded for the 
purpose of providing a haven for those who 
would worship the Almighty as they believed 
His Son meant them to do. It was founded on 
Christianity, the religion His Son had taught, 
the religion of brotherly love.” He paused, 
then said, slowly and significantly, “ And that 


126 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

precept, is the only one, I believe, on which 
America has a chance to stay in her place in 
the sun — the place in which she now rests.” 

Something of Mr. Lyman’s earnestness had 
communicated itself to Dick and Lucille. They 
sat quietly, their eyes on him, making no at¬ 
tempt to interrupt. Their father had never 
talked to them in such a manner before. After 
a time, they stirred restlessly, as though they 
hardly knew whether to treat his confidence in 
the serious manner in which it was delivered, 
or to laugh it off with a witticism of some sort. 

Anise had listened with growing interest. 
Somehow each word he uttered seemed to find a 
haven in her own mind. Although she was not 
conscious of having thought such things, she 
knew that she agreed with all he said. 

“ It’s like this, Dick. If you had sprung from 
a line of very illustrious forbears, say, great 
statesmen, orators, writers, artists, well, those 
eminent in any of the many things that make 
men considered great by those of lesser talents, 
I’m sure you would not think of bragging of 
your ancestors.” 

“ But I didn’t brag. Dad! ” Dick protested 
again. 


127 


AT SEA 

His father ignored the interruption. 

“ You would want to stand on your own feet. 
You would try your hardest to do something 
that would win for you some individual glory. 
And so it does not become you to brag (Dick 
threw out his hands in a gesture of impotence) 
of America, for, after all, you are not in any 
way responsible for what she has achieved. 
You were only fortunate to have been born one 
of her citizens. So, if you would be of some 
real assistance to her, put a curb on your tongue 
and see if you cannot help to better the relations 
between your beloved country and those whose 
friendship means so much to her.’’ 

He took out his handkerchief and dabbed 
at his forehead. Anise suspected, with an inner 
smile, that he was a bit embarrassed. 

He was. Never before had he been so in 
earnest with his own children. Never before 
had the necessity arisen for such a conversation. 

She saw that they were all more or less dazed 
by the seriousness of his words, and at a loss to 
continue the conversation. So it was, with a 
sense of relieving the strain, that she motioned 
toward a man who stood by the companionway 
beckoning to Dick. 


128 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ One of'your new friends, Dick,” she said. 

He was out of his chair like a shot and Anise 
suspected just how relieved he was at the inter¬ 
ruption. 

“ Wants to show me the string of polo ponies 
he’s taking to England,” he apologized, as he 
hurried away. 

Lucille murmuring that she thought they’d 
left the lectures on Americanism behind at the 
University, strolled off, leaving Anise and Mr. 
Lyman to resume their reading. 

Anise, however, found it hard to concentrate, 
her mind being too filled with the new thoughts 
born of their recent conversation. She noticed, 
too, that her uncle’s attention strayed con¬ 
stantly from his book, and after a time, he arose 
and wandered away. 

She had just reached the conclusion that she, 
too, might as well give up trying to read, when 
she saw Dick and Lucille hurrying toward her, 
their bearing betraying the fact that they were 
bringing momentous news. 


CHAPTER X 


AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 

“What’s the trouble?” she asked. “You 
two look as though we’d run into a submarine 
or something! ” 

“ Submarine? Huh! Well, maybe that’s as 
good a name for him as any. He certainly 
doesn’t seem to work in the open! ” Dick had 
halted before her chair and stood looking down 
upon her with folded arms. 

Anise raised a mystified countenance. 
“ Him? Of whom are you speaking, Dick? 
And why look at me with such a scowl? ” 

“ Now see here. Anise, I want the truth! Did 
you know anything about this bird following 
us? 

“ Bird? You don’t mean the gulls, do you? ” 

“Don’t try to be funny! I mean Namar 
Harjad! ” 

“ Namar Harjad! Following us? Why, 
Dick! What do you mean? ” 

.- “ I mean just what I say!. I’m asking you 

129 


130 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

if you know anything about it? He’s here on 
this boat! ” 

She drew herself up with an air of injured 
pride. “ Really, Dick, I don’t think you have 
any right to talk to me like that 1 ” 

“ If you weren’t such a trusting little 
goose — ! ” Lucille put in. 

“Goose? Just because I defended him from 
a bunch of — ” She started to say, “ snobs,” 
but caught herself in time. If she meant to 
make them love her, she must guard her tongue 
more carefully. 

“ But, Dick, you know what your father was 
just saying about brotherly love, and about 
keeping friends with all the nations. He repre¬ 
sents — ” She turned hopefully to Lucille, 
who with a shrug of her shoulders strolled away, 
evidently no longer interested. 

“ You don’t suppose he could possibly count 
in the scheme of things, do you? And as for 
this brotherly love business Dad spoke of, it 
may be all right for nations, but it’s hardly ad¬ 
visable for individuals.” 

“ But Dick, it’s as your father said. It’s 
what His Son taught.” She raised her eyes to 
the unbroken stretch of blue sky, then lowered 


UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 131 

them to the far horizon, where the green of ocean 
was dissolved in the blue. “ The trouble is, 
Dick, few of us have the courage to do it.” 

“ Aw, say. Anise, it doesn’t mean making 
personal friends of all the down-and-outs.” 

“ We can treat them as though they were 
human, Dick. They have hearts to feel with, 
and minds to think with, just as we have, and 
who knows what a little sympathy or friendli¬ 
ness might mean to them. And this Namar 
Harjad. He had courage enough to go after 
the education he wanted. And as for making 
a friend of him — learning is supposed to be 
the biggest factor in drawing people together. 
At least, we’d be on a common level there. His 
mind seemed to me extraordinarily alert, far 
above that of most of the other students.” 

She knew that she was angering Dick by her 
stubborn championship of Namar Harjad. 
She really hadn’t intended to go into the matter 
so deeply, but since he and Lucille insisted on 
making such a to-do about him, she’d stick 
to her position. After all, she did feel sorry 
for him. 

Dick made a deprecating gesture with one 
hand. “ You talk like a college professor, 


132 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


Anise. Since we’ve left all that behind, I’d 
like to forget it entirely. But whether you like 
it or not, I’m going to keep my eye on you. 
There’s something queer about the way this 
Namar took to you from the first, and the way 
he left his precious education unfinished at the 
very moment we did, and this finding him on 
the very boat we’re sailing on.” . 

“ But I don’t think there’s any need for our 
being rude to him, if he’s on this boat,” she 
pleaded, hopefully. 

“ Don’t worry, you’ll not meet him. He’s 
playing valet to Freddy Selwyn’s polo ponies.” 

“ Dick!” 

“ It’s the truth, and I want to tell you right 
now you need not become concerned over the 
welfare of Freddy’s ponies! Stay away from 
down there! ” 

“ Dick! ” she protested, in a hurt voice. “ As 
though I — ” 

“ Aw, Anise,” he endeavored to apologize. 
“ Don’t you see, it’s for your own sake? You 
don’t know anything at all about that fellow’s 
antecedents, and neither does any one. Freddy 
took him on because one of his men got sick at 
the last minute, and this Namar knew horses. 


UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 133 

But it looks queer,” he reiterated, “ that he’d 
be sailing on our boat! ” 

“ I’ll say it does! ” 

Lucille had come up behind Anise’s chair, 
and had evidently overheard her brother’s last 
remark. She, too, stood now before Anise, look¬ 
ing down upon her with a slightly embarrassed 
air. 

“ I know just what you’ll think of me. Anise, 
when I tell you that I’ve just been reading your 
letter? ” 

“ My letter? What letter? ” Anise ques¬ 
tioned. 

“ The one Dad gave me for you the day we 
sailed. Dora’s letter to you.” 

Anise smiled reassuringly. “ Oh, that’s all 
right, Lucille. I meant to show it to you, but 
I really thought you wouldn’t be interested.” 
She smiled reminiscently. 

“ What’s Dora’s letter got to do with what I 
was saying about Harjad, Sis? ” Dick asked 
impatiently. 

Lucille seated herself with an air of impor¬ 
tance. 

“ Well; you see, I was pretty sure that letter 
was from Harjad. It looked just his style. 


134 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

And when I found out he was here on this boat, 
I began to get suspicious. It looked mighty 
strange to me, his leaving the University just 
when we did. So I slipped down to our room 
and turned things upside down until I found 
that letter. I want to say, though. Anise,” she 
apologized, “ that it wasn’t mere curiosity. It’s 
because I realize so seriously my duty toward 
you. You’re such a — ” 

“ And you found out the letter was from 
Dora, instead of him, huh? ” Dick inquired. 
“ A lot of right you’ve got to be reading Anise’s 
letters. I hope she told Anise just what she 
thought of you. It would serve you right for 
snooping! ” 

“ She didn’t even mention my name 1 ” Lu¬ 
cille informed him, with a little moue. “ But 
it seems that she, too, is concerned about Har- 
jad. She’s got an idea he’s a real sheik and he’s 
tracking Anise till he gets her where he can 
nab her and hold her for a ransom! ” she ended, 
triumphantly. 

“By George!” Dick exploded. “Well, 
Dora’s not so dumb as I thought! It takes your 
hired help to get the low-down on your friends. 
I bet she knows more about him than we do! ” 



UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 135 

“ Why, Dick! ’’ Anise laughed aloud. 

“ It’s nothing to laugh about! ” severely. 

But it is 1 ” she exclaimed. “ It’s just some 
of the wild ideas that Dora has gotten from see¬ 
ing too many movies. It’s utterly ridiculous. 
Why, if Uncle Sidney heard that, he’d surely 
think you were both too immature for any 
further confidence of his.” 

“ I didn’t say Dora was right, did I ? ” Dick 
demanded. “ She’s only made me realize that 
this bird is really up to something! ” He low¬ 
ered his voice cautiously. “But you needn’t 
either of you say anything to Dad about it. If 
there’s any sleuthing to do, I guess I’m capable 
of handling it. Can I depend on you, Lucille ? ” 
His eyes held an anxious glow, and Anise knew 
just how well he appreciated the fact that he 
was to a considerable extent in Lucille’s hands, 
especially if he were proven in error of his judg¬ 
ment of the youth in question. 

“ On condition that you’ll quit bragging 
about being an American. I’ve had a time try¬ 
ing to undo the mischief you’ve already done.” 

“ I didn’t brag! But have it your way,” 
magnanimously. “ After all, I guess those 
chaps know what’s what, by this time.” 


136 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ Don’t flatter yourself that you impressed 
them any, except unfavorably, my dear 
brother,” Lucille retorted, and before he coiild 
speak again, she said, “ Well, I’m going down 
for a little nap, before it’s time to dress for din¬ 
ner. Coming along. Anise? ” 

“ I believe not, Lucille,” Anise reached for 
her book which lay beside her chair. 

But Dick retrieved it for her and presented 
it with a solemn mien. “ Guess I’ll wander 
down to the gym and do a few setting-up exer¬ 
cises. Got to keep in trim. Who knows how 
many desperadoes I’ll have to vanquish before 
we get you safely back into the States.” 

She gave him an amused smile, which died 
immediately he had moved away, then she sat, 
her book forgotten, staring before her. She 
was conscious again, of that old sense of loneli¬ 
ness. That Dick and Lucille should persist in 
their unkind thoughts of Namar Harjad; 
seemed to her more than unreasonable. They 
were surely taking the wrong course in their 
attempt to make her forget him. She could 
not help but feel sorry for him. He had been 
one among so many who not only misunderstood 
him, but made no attempt at understanding him, 


UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 137 

nor cared to do so. Perhaps it was that very 
reason which had caused him to give up his 
struggle for knowledge. Perhaps, in spite of 
his indifferent, aloof air, he, too, was hunger¬ 
ing for sympathy, or the companionship of some 
of those hundreds of youths who passed him so 
blithely by. Perhaps memories of his old land 
were too overpowering to hold him longer in 
this strange unfriendly country, and even lack 
of the necessary funds could not keep him 
longer, where his going would make not a ripple 
in the smooth surface of the lives of those about 
him. 

She built up a beautiful series of possible 
events that might have influenced him in his 
present course, and in all of them, he was the 
same alluring figure — a youth suffering from 
loneliness and misunderstanding, the two things 
which she herself had suffered from since leav¬ 
ing her Aunt Letty. 

But she did not mean to dwell on that thought 
in connection with herself, for since her de¬ 
termination to become so necessary to her 
cousins that they would find it impossible to 
live without her, she meant to let no thoughts 
of self-pity find lodgment in her mind. She 



138 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

had been considerably puzzled, though, as to 
just how to go about her new campaign. 
Neither of them seemed to note her new gentle¬ 
ness toward them, or to notice her efforts at 
promoting a lasting peace between them. 

Suddenly she sat up, flung her rug aside, and 
moved toward the ship’s railing. She could 
think better with her eyes on the foam-capped 
waves, away from the curious glances of those 
who passed and repassed her end of the ship. 
The thought which had come to her was rather 
staggering. If Dick and Lucille really be¬ 
lieved her in actual danger from Namar Har- 
jad, wouldn’t the fact that they had joined 
forces to protect her from him help in her plan 
of drawing them closer together? Why hadn’t 
she thought of it sooner? Even though 
Namar’s part in the affair was so wholly inno¬ 
cent, he might be the means of drawing Lucille 
and Dick into a closer bond. She felt fairly 
certain that once they had landed, Namar Har- 
jad would vanish entirely. Still, at intervals, 
she might lead them in a roundabout fashion 
to think that he was following them. She 
might point out some one who slightly re¬ 
sembled him. She might even intimate a certain 


UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER 139 

uneasiness, whenever left alone by either of 
them, and she could, with the necessary cunning, 
make them realize just how she depended upon 
them for protection. She found herself smil¬ 
ing mischievously at the thought of the inno¬ 
cent deception she meant to play upon them, and 
wondered what Namar would think, did he 
know the role she had laid out for him. 

“ It’s for a good cause,” she said to herself, 
“ and he’ll never know the difference. I’m sure 
he’s too concerned with his own troubles to give 
any thought to us.” 


CHAPTER XI 


LENGTHENING SHADOWS 

In the bustle of landing, Anise had little time 
for further thoughts of Namar, or of her plot 
against Lucille and Dick. They were to go on 
to London for a brief stay, thence to Dover and 
across the Channel to France. They had spent 
their last afternoon on shipboard in discussing 
the various attractions along the route Mr. Ly¬ 
man had chosen. 

But at London, he informed them with an 
abstracted air, over their morning coffee and 
rolls, that to his regret he would not be able 
to accompany them on the sight-seeing trip 
about the city, which they had planned. So 
the young people, Baedeker in hand, spent a 
week wandering rather aimlessly about the 
museums, the gardens, the Parliament build¬ 
ings, the cloisters of Westminster Abbey, and 
the various other places of interest in which 
London abounds. Through it all, Dick affected 
a very bored air, assumed. Anise believed, 

140 


LENGTHENING SHADOWS 141 

more to tease Lucille, than through lack of in¬ 
terest in the sights. Anise tried in vain to keep 
peace between them. 

Altogether, it was a rather unsatisfactory 
period and Anise was relieved when her uncle 
announced at luncheon one day that they were 
leaving for Paris immediately, where they 
would spend but a day before going on to Mar¬ 
seilles, where they would embark for Beirut. 
Certain things had happened that would make 
his presence in Damascus imperative. 

“ But we can’t see Paris in a day! ” Lucille 
complained, “ and how can I go home and tell 
them I didn’t even get a glimpse of Mont¬ 
martre? ” 

‘‘ It’s no place for a girl,” Dick observed, 
severely. 

“ Is that so! ” 

With an inward sigh. Anise saw that sparks 
would soon begin to fly between the two, and 
that she must intervene if the day was not to be 
ruined. Only the night before, she had con¬ 
fided to Lucille, that perhaps she and Dick 
were right in their surmise that Harjad’s move¬ 
ments did appear strange. She had seen a 
person before their hotel, as they entered, who 


142 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

she had at first thought was Namar. She had 
been very positive, however, in making Lucille 
understand that it was not really he. She had 
merely seen a resemblance between the two. 

Now, she deliberately cast a half-frightened 
glance over her shoulder, then hitched her chair 
nearer to Dick, at the same time sending an ap¬ 
pealing glance in LuciUe’s direction. 

Lucille questioned her with raised eyebrows, 
and let her gaze travel toward a table by the 
door, where a group of four men were engaged 
in consuming their morning repast. 

Their meaning exchange of glances was lost 
on Mr. Lyman. He was dividing his atten¬ 
tion between his coffee and his mail. 

“ It’s the man I saw last night,” Anise 
whispered. “ I thought, at first, that it was 
Namar.” 

“ Sssh,” warned Dick, with a glance in his 
father’s direction, then in a sibilant whisper, 
“ no, it’s not Harjad. Now don’t get nervous. 
Anise. I guess Lucille and I did wrong in say¬ 
ing what we did. We didn’t mean to frighten 
you. It’s just that we want you to be careful, 
and to keep your eyes open.” 

She gave him a nod, and a glance from inno- 


LENGTHENING SHADOWS 143 

cent eyes that said plainer than words just how 
much she appreciated his care of her. 

Lucille, seemingly assured that all was well 
again, turned to her father. “ But what about 
Cannes, and Nice? You promised us a stay 
on the Riviera. And there’s Rome, and Venice. 
I hear there’s a lot of swanky Americans in both 
places. I did want to take a ride on the Grand 
Canal under the stars, with one of those hand¬ 
some Venetian gondoliers, warbling, a la 
Caruso.” 

“ You would,” said Dick, then added in a 
fierce undertone, “ haven’t we got enough on 
our hands with this bird, Harjad, without get¬ 
ting mixed up with any Venetian gondoliers? ” 

“ I’m sorry, Lucille.” Her father had roused 
himself from his abstraction. “ Business before 
pleasure, you know. I had thought we’d take 
in the sights in a leisurely fashion, as we went 
along, but we’ll have to postpone that until 
our return trip. After all, I believe it is a bet¬ 
ter plan. With this business off my hands, my 
mind, as well as my time will be wholly at your 
disposal.” 

“ Don’t worry. Dad,” Dick consoled him. 
“ She’ll bear up under her disappointment. 


144 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Besides there’s plenty to see, as we go along, 
and all these old palaces, and libraries, and art 
academies and statues and what-nots will still 
be standing when we return, unless I miss my 
guess.” 

Anise was conscious of a very guilty feeling as 
she left the hotel between Dick and Lucille. 
Her uncle had gone ahead and was directing 
the porter as to the stowing of their luggage 
on top of the bus. 

“ I’ll not do it again,” she said to herself. 
“ It’s not fair to Namar in the first place. It’s 
being deliberately deceitful. I’ll have to find 
some other way of distracting their attention 
from each other’s failings.” 

She found that, after all, there was no need 
to go on with the deception, for in Paris, to their 
amazement, they really did come face to face 
with him. 

They had left Mr. Lyman at the Hotel de 
Ville, where his morning would be consumed in 
a conference with certain important looking 
personages. Lucille, Dick, and Anise were 
strolling along the Quai trying to decide just 
how they would spend the morning hours. 

“ Let’s get a taxi and drive around. We 


LENGTHENING SHADOWS 145 

ought to have a general view of the city before 
trying to take in the details,” Dick suggested. 

For once Lucille had no objection to make, 
and Dick hailed an approaching cab. But as it 
drew to a stop along the curb, the three of them 
stood staring in astonishment at the driver who 
had jumped out to open the door for them. It 
was Namar Harjad. 

He was holding it open, an immobile, unsee¬ 
ing expression on his slender, dark face. 

For a moment they stood, uncertainly, star¬ 
ing from him to the door, held so invitingly open. 
Then with an air of detachment, Dick took each 
girl by the arm and turned her about. 

“ WeVe changed our minds,” he said, in a 
slightly apologetic tone. “ It’s too fine a day 
to be cooped up in a cab.” 

Neither of the three turned again, but they 
heard the door slam, and in a moment the car 
had passed them, its driver looking neither to 
the right or left. 

There was something more than uneasiness 
in the eyes of Lucille and Dick as they met in a 
quick interchange of glances. 

“ It’s more than mere coincidence, this meet¬ 
ing him again,” Dick asserted. His grip on 


146 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Anise’s arm tightened. Lucille, too, edged a 
bit closer to her cousin. 

“ There’s no telling where he might have 
taken us, once he got us in that taxi,” Lucille 
remarked. 

“ I don’t know but that we’d better take her 
back to the hotel,” Dick observed, after a 
thoughtful silence. 

“I’ve just been thinking that,” Lucille 
agreed, “ and, after all, just sitting in the lobby, 
in a place like this, is interesting.” 

Anise knew not what to think or say. This 
new protective attitude of Dick’s and Lucille’s 
was very flattering, aside from the fact that it 
was bringing out the best in both their natures. 
But it did not seem fair to let them continue to 
imagine her to be in danger from Harjad. 
Even though he seemed to fit so well into the 
pattern of their suspicions, she was certain it 
was only chance that had put him there. She 
felt a little ashamed that she had not greeted 
him with at least a nod of recognition, but she 
had been so surprised by the encounter, and 
Dick had whirled her about so quickly that there 
had scarcely been a chance for more than a fleet¬ 
ing glance. 


LENGTHENING SHADOWS 147 

Now, she told herself, the thing for her to 
do was to try to allay Dick’s and Lucille’s sus¬ 
picions. She even considered the advisability 
of confessing her own little plot against them, 
but she was afraid that might prove disastrous. 

She felt certain that chance would not repeat 
its trick of putting Harjad again in their path. 
But all along the way to Marseilles, she knew 
that both Dick and Lucille were on the lookout 
for any one resembling him. 

At Marseilles, new orders were awaiting Mr. 
Lyman. They were to proceed first to Naples, 
from there to Palermo, Sicily, thence through 
the Strait of Messina, across the Ionian Sea to 
Athens, and then to Beirut, and on to Damas¬ 
cus. 

They had a day of waiting in Marseilles until 
their ship was ready to sail, but they had no 
trouble in spending the intervening hours. 
They wandered among shops filled to over¬ 
flowing with a colorful array of products from 
all parts of the East. Dick and Lucille, who 
were beginning to complain of the growing heat, 
took only a listless interest in the teeming life 
about them, but Anise, eager to see every phase 
of these lands so different from her own, missed 


148 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

nothing. Even the peddlers fascinated her, 
though they spoke a patois unknown to her, and 
she had considerable difficulty in discouraging 
their attempts to persuade her to purchase 
things for which she could find no possible use. 
She did allow herself to be persuaded into buy¬ 
ing a very beautiful Spanish shawl, its fringe 
as long as her arm, though Lucille insisted that 
she could buy one in New York for half the price 
asked. 

But in spite of Dick’s indifference to his sur¬ 
roundings, and his listlessness. Anise noted that 
his eyes scrutinized every one that happened 
to be near them. 

“ You’re missing all the fun, Dick,” she said 
to him, as she watched a group of urchins 
scrambling for the fruit from an overturned 
cart. “I’ve been thinking things over, and I’m 
sure I’m not in any danger. If I thought there 
was the least possibility of such a thing as you 
and Lucille imagine, I’d insist on Uncle Sid¬ 
ney knowing. I surely have no desire to figure 
in any of the thrilling episodes in which the 
movies abound. As some of our slangy fellow- 
students back home would say, ‘ Snap out of it! ’ 
Look there at the harbor, that line of ships 


LENGTHENING SHADOWS 149 

against the rose of the sky? Isn’t it fascinat¬ 
ing to think of the voyages they have made, 
of the cargoes they have brought from all parts 
of the world; of the strange peoples they have 
bartered with? Oh, Dick! Let’s make the 
most of this trip! Think of all that’s before us 
instead of the foolish fears inspired by a movie- 
mad maid! ” 

She smiled up at him, and patted his arm 
coaxingly. “ I know Uncle Sidney is anxious 
for you both to enjoy this trip! Why, some 
people would give half their lifetime to be in 
our shoes.” 

But Dick’s gloom did not lift. “ I wish I had 
your way of looking at things, Anise,” he said. 
“ Of course I may be wrong about our being 
followed, but I don’t think so. It may be only 
coincidence. If we come across him again, I 
think we’d better let Dad in on this business, 
though it wouldn’t do much good. He’s so full 
of his affairs that I believe we could all be kid¬ 
napped right before his eyes, and he wouldn’t 
even see what was happening. He’s blind as a 
bat, about some things.” 

Again she smiled at him, and watched Lucille 

s ■ 

who had wandered on ahead and had stopped be- 


ISO ONE GIRL’S WAY 

fore an array of beaten-brass utensils on the 
narrow sidewalk. 

‘‘ If — if, anything should happen to you — 
Anise, why — ” 

She looked at him now, in swift surprise. 

He did not meet her eyes, but kicked at a 
pebble that lay in his path. 

She took his arm with a motherly gesture. 
“ Why, Dick — you mustn’t — ! You’re mak¬ 
ing yourself unhappy for no reason at all, ex¬ 
cept an imaginary one!” She could say no 
more, but something within her sang, for surely 
Dick wouldn’t be quite so concerned unless he 
did care — a great deal more than she thought. 

Lucille had turned and was beckoning im¬ 
patiently to them. 

They quickened their pace. 

“It’s Harjad!” she exclaimed, excitedly 
under her breath, as they came up to her. 
“ He’s peddling fish. There he goes, down that 
side street. He just came up from the wharf 
and when he saw me he turned down that way! ” 

Dick stood, staring at the figure who was 
now mingling with the motley crowd, which 
filled the narrow way to the left of them. 

“ Will you tell me,” he implored, “ how that 





LENGTHENING SHADOWS ISl 

bird managed to get here so soon? We haven’t 
wasted any time since we left Paris except those 
short stops at Briare and Nimes.” His voice 
was deep with disgust. 

“ Perhaps he drove down,” Lucille sug¬ 
gested. “ But selling fish! His is surely a ver¬ 
satile nature — rugs, hash-slinger, pop-corn 
and peanut vender, groom, taxi-driver, and now 
fishmonger! Ugh! ” She turned to Anise. 
“ And to think you were considering him for a 
friend! It only goes to prove that you do need 
Dick and me, badly.” 

Anise smiled to herself. “ Just the reverse 
of what I’ve been thinking,” she said to herself 
a little ruefully, then brightened at the thought 
that perhaps both she and Lucille were right. 
Perhaps they needed each other more than either 
guessed. It was a comforting thought, though 
she could not believe that Lucille and Dick were 
right in their estimate of Namar Harjad. Yet 
even though he were a fishmonger, there was no 
reason why he could not have ideals and try to 
live up to them — if he chose. 

If there were only some way in which she 
could prove her belief in him! Dick’s and Lu¬ 
cille’s protective attitude was becoming a bit 


152 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


tiresome and their conscious superiority in the 
matter of experience was even more so. 

But she saw no way in which to prove her 
point, for they had surely seen Namar Harjad 
for the last time. Coincidence could go no 
farther. 


CHAPTER XII 


WHERE EXTREMES MEET 

‘‘ Kipling can say what he wants to about, 
‘ East is East, and West is West, and never the 
twain shall meet,’ but I’ll eat my hat, if East and 
West don’t seem to meet pretty neatly in this 
burg! ” Dick remarked. 

He and Anise were standing on the balcony 
of the little French pension, where they were 
staying, watching with absorbing interest the 
street scene below. In the various ports in 
which they had tarried before coming to Damas¬ 
cus they had witnessed many such scenes, but 
to Anise, there was always something new and 
fascinating to behold; such a medley of races; 
such a conglomeration of colors and beings. 
There were men, seemingly from all parts of 
the globe. Such an indescribable mixture! 
Arabian merchants strolled beside Moslem mul¬ 
lahs in flowing, snowy-white robes and turbans. 
Fierce-looking Bedouins from the desert 

brought to Anise’s mind the memory of Dora’s 

153 


154 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

letter, and her warning against possible sheiks. 
French soldiers in blue uniforms, very erect 
and severe-looking, swung past in groups and 
pairs. There were Jews, despised of all races, 
humble and soft-eyed, mixing imperturbably 
with the throng that contained ferocious-look¬ 
ing tribesmen, their soft hats pulled at a rakish 
angle over dark, fierce eyes. There were Hin¬ 
doos, Persians, Armenians, Greeks, and many 
at whose nationality Anise could only guess. 

The women were even more interesting than 
the men. They were of all kinds; languorous, 
alluring-eyed women of the East, who were 
covered entirely by the most gorgeous silken 
robes; bold-eyed dancing girls, in voluminous 
many-hued skirts, whose silver anklets tinkled 
enticingly as they walked. There were Euro¬ 
pean women, with their air of self-confidence, 
and pale faces in striking contrast to the dark 
skin of the others. 

Then, as they stood, silent, too interested in 
the scene before them to think of anything else, 
there came the sound of bells. They had heard 
it many times before, but always it brought to 
Anise a little thrill of awe. From the minaret 
on the Mosque at the end of the street, the 


WHERE EXTREMES MEET ISS 

Muezzin’s cry came; calling the faithful to 
prayer. Allah eekber! Allah eehher! — ” 
Anise repeated the words under her breath; 
“ God is great, and God is good. There is no 
God but Allah, and Mohammed is His 
prophet.” 

But the words in English did not hold the 
same fascination for her as the Muezzin’s Ara¬ 
bic. She tried to follow him in the Arabic, but 
gave up the attempt with a little sigh. 

In silence, they stood, looking down on the 
now kneeling throng. Then Anise whispered: 
“ Isn’t it wonderful, Dick, how they reverence 
their Allah? Can you imagine Americans do¬ 
ing such a thing? Picture Fifth Avenue stop¬ 
ping long enough for that! ” She motioned to¬ 
ward the worshippers. 

“ You surely wouldn’t want them to? ” 

“ I don’t think it would hurt any of us to take 
our religion a bit more seriously,” she returned. 
“ Of course, I wouldn’t want America like the 
East, and yet — there’s quite a bit we might 
learn from them, I imagine.” 

“ You’re wrong there. Anise. Why, if it 
wasn’t for what America’s done for them — 
Say, listen here, I’ve kept still about as long as 


156 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

I can. Everywhere weVe been, IVe listened 
to you and Lucille and Dad, raving about the 
wonders of these old eivilizations, from Mar¬ 
seilles to Beirut. Italian art and sculpture, 
wasn’t it, in Naples? In Athens, Greek tem¬ 
ples, gods and goddesses. I’m not saying that 
those things are not interesting, but why waste 
so much time and thought on what is past ? It’s 
the future that’s important, and right now, we 
ought to be back in America learning something 
that’ll help our eountry.” 

“ But that’s just why Unele Sidney brought 
us, so that we could learn about other countries, 
in sueh a way, that it would help our own! ” 
Anise triumphed. 

“ A fat ehance these birds have got of teach¬ 
ing us much! ” Dick retorted. Why, I haven’t 
seen a plaee yet, since we left home, that ean 
come up to America. It’s Americans who are 
baek of all the forward movements here, just 
the same as in other places. Look at that 
American University we saw in Beirut, and that 
Mission school where that youngster worked 
you for your lapis lazuli beads! Hasn’t Amer¬ 
ica given — ? ” 

“ Worked me? Why Dick! I gave them to 


WHERE EXTREMES MEET 1S7 

her! I wanted her to have them. If you could 
have seen her eyes when she looked at them — ” 

“ Yeh, I know! All these Syrians have got 
the same soft, appealing-looking eyes! If I 
stay here very long, it’ll just break my heart, 
looking into ’em, they’re that sad, and pathetic- 
looking.” 

“ But, Dick,” she laughed, “ I just couldn’t 
resist her, when she came up to me and asked 
if she could please just touch them! I’m sure 
Aunt Della won’t mind. She’d have done the 
same thing. After all, it was more an exchange 
of gifts, for she ran after us as we were leaving 
and thrust that piece of tapestry into my hands. 
I didn’t want to take it, but the matron insisted 
that the child would be hurt, and she would think 
I did not like her gift.” 

Dick shrugged, as though he would dismiss 
the matter, but Anise hurried on. 

“ If you’d only have gone with us, and heard 
the pathetic stories of some of those children, 
Dick, before they came to the Mission.” 

“ I’m glad I was wise enough to stay away. 
Some of them might have taken a heavy longing 
for my watch, my scarf-pin, or who knows 
what? ” 


1S8 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ You’d like me to think you’re terribly hard¬ 
hearted, wouldn’t you? ” she teased, “ but I 
happen to know about the donation you sent 
by Uncle Sidney.” 

He had the grace to look confused, then re¬ 
marked with an air of indifference: “ I guess 
most of us in America don’t realize just what 
these Missions are up against, or we’d be more 
generous. It’s a good thing we brought you 
along. Anise. At least, Lucille and I don’t have 
a chance to be quite so selfish as we would have 
been.” 

“ But what have I to do with your generosity, 
Dick? ” she wanted to know, quick to disclaim 
any credit she did not deserve. 

“ I happened to overhear you asking Dad, as 
you went down the stairs, how much you ought 
to give.” 

“ And that was why you called him back,” 
Anise remarked. “ Really, Dick, I do not de¬ 
serve the least credit. It was because of Aunt 
Letty’s letter that we went there. She wanted 
some first-hand information about the school, 
so she could pass it on to their Missionary soci¬ 
ety at the next meeting. I mean to give her 
that piece of tapestry the little Syrian girl gave 


WHERE EXTREMES MEET 159 

me. I can just see those women now, gloating 
over it and wondering about the pattern. It’s 
so different from anything I’ve ever seen. The 
matron said the child treasured it a great deal. 
It was the only thing she brought with her, when 
she came to the school. Such a difference be¬ 
tween the girls here and those in America. 
Ours think it dreadful to be sent away to school, 
while these love the school so that they dread to 
be sent back to their homes. I suppose it’s be¬ 
cause girls lead such a restricted life here.” 

Dick had evidently been listening indiffer¬ 
ently, for he stifled a yawn and announced that 
if he meant to finish that typing he had promised 
to do for his father, he’d better get at it. “ Say, 
but this climate is fierce. I don’t know how 
much longer I can stand it.” He took out his 
handkerchief, and mopped his forehead lan¬ 
guidly, then stepped through the arched door¬ 
way into the passage that led to his room. 

Anise paid no heed, either to his remark or his 
going. Ever since they had neared the equator, 
Dick had persistently bewailed the heat and 
his increasing lethargy. The others had ac¬ 
cepted it indifferently, meeting his complaints 
with a quiet silence. It did no good to dwell on 


160 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

such discomforts. It was one of the things to 
be borne along with the insects, the dust, the 
smells, the beggars, the medley of unfamiliar 
languages and unfamiliar sights and sounds. 

The rasping wail of a phonograph from an 
opened door of the cafe across the way, sent 
forth a beseeching exhortation to the passing 
throng: 

“ To let the rest of the world go by.” 

And what a strange, motley world it was. 
Anise reflected. It appeared from her present 
glimpse of it, a hopeless, indistinguishable maze 
of intricate paths that wound and rewound un¬ 
intelligibly upon themselves. Was there really 
some meaning to this conglomerate mass of in¬ 
dividuals? Was there some plan back of this 
seemingly hopeless tangle of conflicting human 
endeavor? 

If one could have but a hint. Her eyes lifted 
to the distant sky, the same serene blue sky that 
had for centuries overhung this ancient city — 
this city where Saul of Tarsus had seen the 
Light. 

Dreamily, she gazed over the sprawling roofs 
about her. Her mind seemed to have lost con- 



WHERE EXTREMES MEET 161 


tact with the present, and was back again among 
the memories of her girlhood — those quiet Sab¬ 
bath afternoons when she sat on the veranda, 
her attention wavering between the poetic soft¬ 
ness of Aunt Letty’s voice as she read from her 
favorite Book, and the drone of insects, as they 
fluttered about the vines on the porch, teasing 
her with their silent suggestions that she follow 
them in their flittings. 

Her thoughts came in a disconnected stream 
— “ sweet as the cedars of Lebanon — ” They 
were off there, beyond the sand dunes. “ As 
far as the east is from the west — ” It seemed 
incredible that she should really be here, in this 
strange, old country, the country which God 
had seen fit to use as the background for that 
mighty drama which was to live and relive 
through the ages — the life and death of His 
Son. 

Strange, that in the country of its incep¬ 
tion, so few results from His teaching were ap¬ 
parent, except as Dick had said. Was America 
the way for these descendants of that old race, 
who knowing, yet had not known how to use 
the knowledge that was theirs? 

And she remembered Namar Harjad. Per- 





162 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

haps he had the vision to see. Perhaps he knew 
that in America lay all hope for the future. 
Why, then, had he not stayed there? Surely 
this land could in no way hold the opportuni¬ 
ties for him which America held. Had America 
disappointed him? Had he found it as some 
of the other nations said, cold, grasping, un¬ 
sympathetic, proud of its power, indifferent 
to everything but its own welfare? 

Some slight movement among the passers-by 
distracted her attention. She watched this 
group and that, the gesticulating, voluble salu¬ 
tations of some, in comparison with the quiet 
undemonstrative manner of others. Idly, she 
noted a figure detach itself from the shadows of 
the doorway opposite her. Just another beg¬ 
gar, she thought, indifferently, and would have 
allowed her gaze to travel past him, when some¬ 
thing in his manner held her. True, he was in 
rags, a mere handful, none too cleanly, gathered 
about him, and straggling down about feet un¬ 
protected from the grime of the roadway. But 
something in the lift of the turbaned head, the 
carriage of the shoulders, awakened a sense of 
familiarity in Anise’s mind. 

He was lounging now, against the wall, and 


WHERE EXTREMES MEET 163 


seemed equally as indifferent to the gaze of 
those who passed and repassed, as he did to 
the searching gaze of the girl on the balcony. 

She leaned forward now, over the balcony’s 
edge, eager to confirm her suspicions. 

It was Namar Harjad! But in rags! Ap¬ 
parently a common beggar! 

Her concentrated gaze seemed to have awak¬ 
ened him to the fact that he was the object of 
unusual scrutiny, for he looked about him quiz¬ 
zically, across toward the pension and then up 
to the balcony where Anise leaned over the rail¬ 
ing. 

To her surprise, he showed no sign of em¬ 
barrassment. It was quite evident, also, that 
he recognized her, for he bowed slightly, 
though no change of expression was evident in 
his passive gaze. It was as though they had 
met many times before, under just such cir¬ 
cumstances, and in his mind there was cause 
for neither surprise nor embarrassment. He 
was moving away, when without realizing what 
she did, she lifted a hand, indicating that she 
wished him to wait. 

‘‘ I’m going to find out, once and for all! ” 
she said to herself, a bit defiantly, as she sped 


164 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


along the passage, past Dick’s door, where 
the clacking typewriter indicated that he was 
hard at work, down the stairs, and through the 
group that lingered about the doorway. 

“ Namar Harjad wouldn’t hurt a flea! But 
there’s a reason for his appearing in such a garb, 
and I mean to get at the bottom of it! Besides, 
they wouldn’t dare offend any one in Uncle 
Sidney’s party. These people know his connec¬ 
tions ! ” She didn’t specify who ‘‘ they ” were. 

But when she had crossed the narrow street 
and stood beside him, she knew that it would 
be impossible to question him. He would have 
to tell her of his own accord, and that, she soon 
saw, he did not mean to do. 

He shook the hand she extended, then 
dropped it gently, without a word. 

She tried several times to find the words that 
would open the way to his confidence, but with¬ 
out success. 

“ It seems strange,” she said, at last, “ to meet 
like this, so far from home.” 

“ It does, indeed,” he assented, gravely. 

“We came away, so suddenly,” she tried to 
apologize. “ I wanted to tell you — ” 

When she did not go on, he said, “ It was the 



WHERE EXTREMES MEET 165 

same with me,” but he offered no explanation 
as to the why of his departure. 

She noted that he seemed thinner and that he 
looked tired — inexpressibly tired, she decided, 

• after another glance at him. 

He made no attempt to speak further. She 
knew that she ought not to be standing there, 
that at any moment Lucille might awaken from 
her siesta and see her from their window, but 
she felt that she could not leave him without 
knowing something more about him. 

“Your country — ” she floundered, in an 
attempt to find words that would lead him to 
speak of himself. “ It is different — ” 

“ It is, indeed,” he assented. “ Very differ¬ 
ent from America.” 

She longed to know, and yet dreaded to ask 
him just what he thought of America. She was 
afraid that America had not treated him as he 
had expected to be treated. 

He shifted his weight from one foot to the 
other, and she saw that he seemed eager to de¬ 
part. If only she could find out something 
about, him, but she knew he had no intention of 
satisfying her curiosity. She was suddenly 
overcome by embarrassment. How could she 




166 ONE GIRL^S WAY 

think that he was still interested in her? Cer¬ 
tainly he gave no sign of it, now. In fact, he 
appeared exceedingly anxious to be off. In 
detaining him, she had been guilty of one of 
those childish impulses that Aunt Letty used 
to warn her against. 

What would Dick and Lucille say, if they 
knew? 

And looking again at the sorry spectacle be¬ 
fore her, she wondered if perhaps they might not 
be partly correct in their opinion of him. If 
so, she had certainly done a very unwise thing 
in attracting his attention to themselves. 

With a murmured apology, that she must not 
keep him, and that the others would wonder 
what had become of her, she gave him a nod of 
dismissal, thankful that he seemed as eager as 
she to terminate their encounter. 


CHAPTER XIII 


IN THE BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 

Anise spent a rather restless night, for she 
was conscious throughout her fitful sleep of a 
certain degree of disloyalty toward Dick and 
Lucille in having attracted Namar’s attention 
to herself. 

She knew just exactly how they would react 
to the news that she had again seen him, and if 
they knew he had been lounging in the shadowy 
doorway opposite their own, they would have 
new cause to believe that there was some real 
purpose actuating his movements. 

She tried not to think how they would look 
upon her impulsive move. She knew that both 
of them were greatly relieved that they had 
seen nothing more of him since leaving Mar¬ 
seilles, and if they saw him now, in the disrep¬ 
utable outfit in which he had appeared before 
her, they would have new cause for alarm. Be¬ 
lieving what they did of him, his appearance 

167 


168 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

now would only confirm their earlier suspi¬ 
cions that he was up to some mischief. 

She was beginning to realize with increasing 
certainty the potentialities for evil that existed 
in this strange old city, with its commingling 
of races and creeds. In fact, she had had plenty 
of time since leaving home to take note of the 
many apparently undesirable citizens that filled 
the various places they had visited. She knew, 
though, that no one country seemed to have a 
monopoly on the others in that respect. To 
tell the truth, she had had less chance to know 
of such conditions in her own country than in 
those they had visited. 

And though she realized acutely the uncer¬ 
tain atmosphere of this old city that was the 
background of Namar Harjad, she was not 
conscious of any fear for her own safety. All 
fears were lost in speculation about him whose 
actions and demeanor held so much of mystery. 
But knowing her cousins’ feelings in the mat¬ 
ter, she was certain that shoidd she give them the 
least hint of his presence here, that Dick would 
no doubt bring the matter to his father’s atten¬ 
tion, as he had threatened to do if Namar again 
crossed their path. Even though he were able 


BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 169 

to prove his innocence of any charge they might 
make against him, his apparent poverty would 
be against him. 

There was but one thing to do, and that was to 
say nothing about having seen and talked to 
him. 

Morning, however, increased her dilemma, for 
looking down through the narrow barred win¬ 
dow of her and Lucille’s bedroom, into the 
courtyard below, she saw him busily at work 
clearing its cobbled expanse of the previous 
day’s rubbish. 

She watched him thoughtfully, for a time, 
then turned away with a sigh. It could not be / 
long now, she thought, sadly, before Dick and 
Lucille would see him. 

But in this she was mistaken. Dick was ill. 
Just a touch of malaria, his father said, but he 
was certainly not fit to be one of their party to 
the Tulul-ef-Safa, which they had planned to 
visit that day. 

Dick, however, insisted that they go without 
him. He had not been enthusiastic about the 
trip, anyway. The endless stretches of sand 
and sun were anything but pleasant to him. 

With a little catch in her voice, Anise sug- 


170 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

gested that she stay behind with Dick. With 
Lucille out of the way, and Dick confined to 
his room, perhaps she might have an oppor¬ 
tunity to speak again to Namar, to find out 
something more about him. 

Lucille, however, seemed tempted to give up 
the excursion, also. Indifferent as she had ap¬ 
peared to Dick’s complaints about the heat, she 
now displayed a concern that surprised Anise. 

“ I don’t know but that I’d better stay and 
let Dad go on alone,” she said, as they left Dick’s 
room, together. “ It’s the first time the poor 
old boy has been ill, as far back as I can remem¬ 
ber, and he’s so worried because he has a little 
temperature.” 

“ But Uncle Sidney will be disappointed if 
you don’t go, and there’s really so little one 
can do,” Anise said. 

Lucille brightened perceptibly. “ I know 
that, but we may be away for several days — 
and — ” Again her face clouded. 

“Why, Lucille! There’s nothing serious 
about malaria. It’s just that one runs a little 
temperature, sleeps a great deal, and hasn’t 
any energy.” 

“Yes, but in this heathen place — ” she 


BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 171 

flared, then turned away with a little catch in 
her breath. “ Dick’s always been so well — and 
strong — and so proud of his physique, and 
now — ” 

Anise stood, silent, puzzled at this Lucille 
who was grieving over the loss of those qualities 
in her brother which she had always ridiculed. 
She stopped for a moment, in the corridor, to 
say a few words to Cecile, one of the maids, and 
when she reached their room, Lucille seemed 
to have regained her former poise, for she was 
taking a last satisfying look into the mirror at 
her linen-clad figure in its shining boots and 
panama hat pulled at a rakish angle over one 
eye. 

“ I’m sure you’re right, Anise,” she said. 
“ He’ll be top-hole in a few days. Besides, I’ve 
got to have action. I’ve stood about as much 
of this inactivity as I can. And Dad is count¬ 
ing on me. I’m sure you’ll see that Dick is 
comfortable.” 

Anise was saved the necessity of a reply, for 
which she was exceedingly thankful. 

“ There are our ships of the desert, now! ” 
Lucille exclaimed, with a hasty glance into the 
courtyard below at the camels which their guide 



172 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

was belaboring volubly in an unintelligible 
jargon. 

“ I do hate to leave you and Dick, Anise,” her 
uncle told her, as she stood with them later, in 
the courtyard, waiting for the guide to finish 
stowing their luggage on one of the camels. 
“ But it can’t be helped. Madame Petot has 
promised to take the best of care of you both. 
In a few more days, I expect to finish up this 
business, then perhaps we’ll find some real 
amusement for you youngsters. I’ve a number 
of friends here, both English and French, who 
will be more than pleased to take you all under 
. their wing, and show you the sights. You’ll not 
be lonely ? ” He tilted her chin with a forefinger 
and smiled down into her eyes. 

“Come on. Dad!” Lucille called, moving 
eagerly toward the waiting camels. 

He turned away then, and Anise was con¬ 
scious of a sense of relief as she watched them 
disappear down the narrow street. At least 
Namar would be safe from Lucille’s and Dick’s 
suspicions for a few days, and in the meantime 
— who knew? Perhaps she might be success¬ 
ful in her desire to learn something satisfying 
about him; perhaps she might be able to help 


I 


BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 173 

him, since he seemed so obviously in need of as¬ 
sistance. 

But she saw no further sign of him about the 
place, though she wandered upstairs and down 
and stood for long minutes staring through first 
one narrow window and then another, into the 
street and courtyard. 

So much depended on her proving her faith 
in him, and yet under present circumstances, 
how was it possible? And how could she pro¬ 
ceed, without being disloyal to her cousins? It 
was a puzzling thought. 

But she must win their respect, as well as their 
love. She must prove to them that she was right 
in her belief regarding him. 

The sweet, cool air of early morning had given 
way to that intense, unbroken wave of heat 
which presses like a stifling hand over the city 
at midday, before she came to a decision. 

Dick had alternately dozed and grumbled 
at the lethargy that was making life unendur¬ 
able for him. 

She read to him for a time, though she could 
not have told afterward what it was she had 
been reading. Her mind was wholly engrossed 
with the problem of Namar Harjad. She was 


174 


ONE GIRL^S WAY 

exceedingly relieved when, toward late after¬ 
noon, Dick fell in to a deep, heavy sleep. 

Madame Petot, the plump, ruddy-faced wife 
of Pierre Petot, the proprietor, had been in and 
out all day, solicitously anxious that every¬ 
thing possible be done for Dick’s comfort. 
Now, Anise knew, she would be busy in the 
kitchen with preparations for dinner. 

Madame looked up from her mixing-bowl 
in surprise. 

“ The fellow who swept out the courtyard 
this morning? But I know nothing of heem. 
He wanted to earn a bit of breakfast. You 
know Pierre Petot — so soft-hearted! ” An 
expressive shrug indicated her own disgust of 
the situation. ‘‘ But why, Meese Aneese, should 
you be interested in theese beggars? ” with a 
light of interest coming into her round black 
eyes. “ They are here to-day and gone to¬ 
morrow.” 

But Anise did not care to take Madame Petot 
into her confidence. 

“ I thought — perhaps — I could help him,” 
she stammered. 

“ You’ll soon tire of that,” Madame informed 
her, pushing with the back of one hand, at a 



BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 175 

wisp of gray hair that had strayed down across 
her wrinkled forehead, “ for always there are 
beggars crying for baksheesh. One gets hard¬ 
ened.” 

Anise was moving away when Madame called 
to her. “ Since Mr. Richard is sleeping so well, 
why do you not go with Pierre to the bazaars. 
I have seen, all day, how lonely you have been. 
The sights will amuse you. Pierre will take 
good care of you.” 

Anise’s eyes lighted with pleasure, but she 
spoke hesitantly: “You are sure it will be all 
right, to leave Dick? ” 

“I, myself, will look out for him,” Madame 
assured her. “ Run now, and get your hat, 
since Pierre is leaving at once.” 

In a little glow of excitement Anise left the 
pension with Monsieur Petot, for this rotund, 
jolly-faced little Frenchman reminded Anise 
more of a small boy out in search of adventure 
than a staid, respectable innkeeper whose 
thoughts, she knew, were dwelling on the price 
of certain purchases he meant to make. 

She was glad to get away from the depress¬ 
ing thoughts that had filled her, and lost noth¬ 
ing of the strange sights about them. She had 


176 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

difficulty though in keeping pace with Mon¬ 
sieur. Stout as he was, his feet seemed scarcely 
to touch the pavements, and she watched him 
anxiously several times as he teetered perilously 
forward on his toes, in his excited bargaining 
with certain obdurate individuals. Once, she 
thought she saw Namar before the display of 
a breadseller who had been calling on Allah to 
send him a customer. She decided she must be 
mistaken, but a few moments later, when she 
saw the same figure lounging before a display 
of Oriental rugs, she knew that it was he. 

With a quick glance at Monsieur, who was 
chatting volubly and dramatically with a group 
of his compatriots, she moved toward Namar. 

She greeted him with a quiet smile, but there 
were two bright red spots on each cheek, and 
an excited glint in her blue eyes. Her fingers 
toyed with the narrow belt of her blue linen 
frock. 

He showed no surprise at seeing her, merely 
looking gravely upon her as she said, a bit 
breathlessly: “ You remember that once you 
promised to tell me about Oriental rugs? I’d 
like to buy one — a prayer rug, perhaps; one 
that is very old, if possible.” 


BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 177 

She thought she saw a flicker of pleasure in 
his eyes, but it was gone almost immediately. 

“ I would consider it a great privilege to 
help in your search,” he said. “ Unless one 
knows — There are a great many fakirs — in 
my country,” he said. 

“ But surely — ” She glanced toward the 
beautiful rugs behind him. 

“ It may take time to find what you want,” 
he said, with a slight shrug of his shoulders. 
“ It is not easy to pick up a treasure without a 
long search, yet there is a chance that we may 
find what you want, if you will come with me.” 
He nodded ahead. 

“But these — ? ” she exclaimed, indicating 
the array. “ Do you not sell them? ” 

“No. I have nothing to do with these.” 
He spoke severely. “ They are but clever imi¬ 
tations.” 

“ But Monsieur Petot — ” she hesitated, and 
looked swiftly in the direction from whence she 
had come.’ 

Monsieur Petot was nowhere to be seen. 

“ Oh! ” she exclaimed. “ I wonder now — 
where he could have gone? ” Swiftly she 
scanned the throng in each direction. 






178 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“.You have lost your protector? ’’ 

“ He seems to have lost me,” she laughed 
ruefully, “ and isn’t aware of the fact.” Then 
her laugh was replaced by a worried frown. 
How would she find the way back, through that 
maze of narrow crooked streets? 

“ There is no need to be alarmed,” he assured 
her gravely. “ I will be glad to accompany 
you to your pension. But perhaps you might 
like to see the rug I have in mind? ” 

Still scanning anxiously the crowded way for 
some sign of Monsieur Petot, she answered ir¬ 
resolutely. “ Would it take long to see this 
rug you speak of? ” 

“ No.” 

Now, of course, was the chance for which she 
had longed. She must make the most of it. 

“ I cannot be away very long. Dick is ill, and 
Lucille and Uncle Sidney have gone to the 
Tulul-ef-Safa, so I — ” 

“ Then come this way.” 

Out of the corner of her eye, she noted, as he 
moved along beside her, that he seemed to have 
lost that confident, erect bearing that had been 
his in America. His face seemed drawn, al¬ 
most haggard, and there was a troubled, baffled 




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BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 179 

look in his eyes that made her wonder. He 
seemed to have forgotten her presence beside 
him, for he moved along silently, and made no 
attempt at conversation. 

It was the hour when all of Damascus swarms 
its streets, when the call to prayer from the city’s 
two hundred mosques, brings a reverent popu¬ 
lace in prostration before its unseen Deity. It 
came now, from the mosque at the end of their 
street, ringing out above the noise and confusion 
about them. 

Anise took advantage of the pause in the 
confusion to ask softly, “ You do not worship as 
the other Moslems, Namar? ” 

“ No.” He said it quietly, but something in 
the tone told her he did not care to be ques¬ 
tioned. 

“ But you are Mohammedan ? ” For the first 
time she deliberately ignored his apparent de¬ 
sire not to speak. 

“ It is the faith of my people.” 

The kneeling throng had risen, and were mov¬ 
ing along again through the Street called 
Straight, with its barred windows high above 
the heads of the pedestrians, and roofed over 
to keep out the fierce heat of the sun. 


180 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


They moved along in silence for a time, Anise 
so interested in the sights about her that she 
had almost forgotten that she had lost Mon¬ 
sieur and that Namar was not her original es¬ 
cort. 

They were threading their way through the 
narrow, dimly lighted labyrinth of alleyways 
and passages of the bazaar. The arched roofs 
shut off the light, so that the way seemed like 
a tunnel that might have led to the cave of the 
Forty Thieves, with its colorful, conglomerate 
loot. 

Namar, she thought idly, might have been 
Ali Baba himself, in the picturesque garb 
which covered him. 

She paused before a bookseller’s tiny shop 
— a mere hole in the wall, as were all the shops 
along the way, but so packed with merchan¬ 
dise that there seemed no space left for the 
owner who squatted just inside the doorway. 

“ I’d love to have a copy of the Koran,” she 
said, as she picked up an aged volume and 
turned over its yellowed leaves. It would make 
such a wonderful gift for Aunt Letty.” ' 

But Namar, with scant ceremony took it 
hastily from her, replaced it on the pile of books. 



BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 181 

and with an imperative gesture indicated that 
she must not linger there. 

She was a little indignant, as well as mysti¬ 
fied at his action. 

“ Surely they’re for sale, aren’t they? ” she 
questioned with a dignity meant to be chilling. 

“Not to Christians!” His words were 
sharply abrupt, as though that ended the mat¬ 
ter entirely. 

She was still a bit hurt at what she considered 
his rudeness, and she wanted proof that he must 
have had some reason for it. 

“ But they sell other things to Christians,” 
she said. 

“ Yes,” he returned, “ and some sell copies 
of the Koran, but not that fellow. He is very 
devout. You must remember that this is not 
America. Damascus is a Mohammedan city. 
The Mohammedans hate Christians.” 

She had heard that before, but it had had 
little weight with her. Now, it assumed a new 
significance. 

Namar Harjad was of the faith that hated 
Christians. 

In America she would not have believed such 
a thing of him, but looking at him now, in the 


182 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

tattered, disreputable dress of a beggar, against 
the alluring, mysterious background of this city 
out of the Arabian Nights, she had a feeling that 
anything he might do or say, would not surprise 
her. Nothing would have surprised her, here. 
That little wizened man they had just passed, 
might be a genie, holding some beautiful Moor¬ 
ish maiden prisoner in that huge earthen jar 
with the flamingoes in flight on its sides. She 
was half inclined to turn back and barter with 
him for the magic incantation that would free 
the maiden from his power. 

She was fast falling under the spell of the 
exotic array about her. Its ever present 
glamour, its strange, unfamiliar, alluring sights 
and sounds, all deadened her mind to any danger 
that might exist for her. She tried to arouse 
herself, to concentrate on the things she wished 
to learn of Namar Harjad. Rugs seemed just 
now of little importance compared to the mys¬ 
tery of his presence here — the mystery of his 
beggar’s attire. She must learn something more 
about him, now that she had the chance. 

But she could not think. The din of the 
bazaar confused her, the snarl of the camels, the 
crack of whips, the bray of mules, the bells, the 


BAZAARS OF DAMASCUS 183 

shouts, the cries of the merchants, the pleadings 
of the beggars for, “ Baksheesh! baksheesh! ” 
and the ceaseless shuffle of myriad feet all con¬ 
tributed to deaden her mind, and prevent co¬ 
herent thought. 

She followed him in a sort of fascinated in¬ 
difference. 

A file of camels heavily laden with merchan¬ 
dise, crowded them to the wall. They might 
easily have been crushed. She had not no¬ 
ticed the danger until she felt his sudden grasp 
upon her arm, and his hurried movement, 
startled her back to a realization of her sur¬ 
roundings. 

She looked at him now, anxiously. They 
had come a long way. They had passed more 
than one tiny shop, crowded to overflowing 
with colorful heaps of rugs and tapestries, but 
at not one of them had he given a glance. 

He was so silent, so unbending and indiffer¬ 
ent to those about them. She was becoming 
uneasy. Again and again, she stole a glance 
at his stern profile. Had she done a mad thing 
after all, in putting her trust in this youth of 
whom she knew almost nothing; whose race 
and breeding were so unlike her own? 


184 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Mohammedans hate Christians. She remem¬ 
bered his words with a sudden foreboding. Did 
he mean her harm, after all? Were Dick and 
Lucille right in their judgment of him? 


CHAPTER XIV 


PRAYER RUGS AND PREDICTIONS 

Deliberately, she stopped before an unusu¬ 
ally beautiful display of Oriental rugs, over 
which a smiling Turk in a red fez, presided. 

“ Surely,” she said, in a voice she tried to 
make very firm, ‘‘ there is something here. Oh, 
look at that beauty there! ” She lifted a small 
rug that lay on top of a pile and held it so that 
she might see it better in the dim light that en¬ 
compassed them. 

The owner’s smile widened engagingly, and 
urged upon her a closer inspection of the rug. 
“ So old — ” he began. 

But Namar shook his head, in a short, quick 
gesture of dismissal, and refused to be impressed 
with the merchant’s protestations. The clasped 
hands, and eyes rolled to heaven, as though call¬ 
ing on Allah to witness his sincerity, left him 
adamant. 

“ Just another good fake,” he muttered 
swiftly to Anise. “ We are wasting time.” 

185 


186 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Although she turned away from the display, 
she made no attempt to fall into their former 
hurried pace. 

“ The fellow I was Loping to find, will be 
gone, if we do riot hurry,” he urged her, a certain 
impatience in his voice. “ He is not a regular 
merchant. Only when he has something really 
good does he come here. Let us hurry.” 

She stopped quite still, and looked at him. 
She realized anew that his appearance would not 
have inspired confidence in any one. Was he 
speaking the truth ? 

She would make one more attempt to get 
him to speak of himself. She laid a gentle 
hand on his arm. 

“ Tell me, Namar, why it is you do not wor¬ 
ship as the other Moslems? ” 

He did not meet her eyes, and his face be¬ 
came an expressionless mask which she could 
not penetrate. 

“ There is no God.” He said it as one who 
repeats a phrase that has no meaning. 

She stared at him now, uncertain of what to 
do or say, uncertain of whether to be sorry for 
him, or to be afraid of him. Then she remem¬ 
bered the rug. 


PRAYER RUGS 187 

“ Are you sure, Namar, that this rug we have 
just seen, is not really old? ” 

Into his eyes there crept a strange glint. 

“ I know. Miss Decard, for my father has in 
his house, the first and only rug, made in this 
design. It was a gift to one of my mother’s 
household, by the Persian sovereign, centuries 
ago. It has been handed down from generation 
to generation until it reached my mother. 
When she became the bride of my father, she 
left Persia and came to Damascus, and the 
prayer rug came with her. It was guarded 
carefully, but there were a few who saw it, and 
tried to copy it. Always, though, there was 
some difference in the pattern.” 

Anise listened with growing amazement. 
Never had he made such a long speech before. 
She scarcely grasped the import of his words, 
so interested was she in the unusual play of 
expression that crossed his face. She could 
have sworn that there was pride, that fought 
with humility; love that gave way to hatred, 
and courage that battled with despair. 

With growing excitement, she realized that 
at last he meant to tell her something of him¬ 
self, and that her belief in him was to be con- 


188 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

firmed. She had been right, she told herself 
exultingly. He was not an ordinary beggar. 
At least, his father was the possessor of an ex¬ 
ceedingly precious prayer rug. Now, now was 
her chance! If she offered to buy it — tried to 
bargain with him for it, perhaps he would be 
impelled to confide his difficulties to her. 

“ What — that is — how much would your 
father take for his rug? ” 

They were moving slowly along, now. She 
could not see his expression, but something in 
his manner caused her to feel a vague misgiving. 
Most certainly she had offended him. She re¬ 
membered that the prayer rug of an Oriental 
is his most cherished possession, and one that 
had been in the family for generations, must be 
especially prized. 

He seemed not to have heard her question, for 
he stalked beside her, wrapped in a gloomy si¬ 
lence. 

She longed to ask him if it would be possible 
to see this rug he spoke of, and pondered for a 
moment, the advisability of such a question. 

She saw that it was growing late. No longer 
were the crowds about them so dense. She 
wondered what Dick would think if he knew she 




PRAYER RUGS 


189 


was with Namar in this strange, barbaric place. 
She must return to the pension without further 
delay. 

She realized with a sigh that there was little 
chance of her solving the enigma of Namar 
Harjad. He was as far removed from her, in 
many ways, as the East is from the West. 
Looking at him now, she remembered, with a 
little tremor of fear, Dick’s and Lucille’s sus¬ 
picions. All trace of softness had vanished 
from his countenance. He seemed suddenly to 
her, to embody all those qualities most to be 
feared in a strange race — a race that hated 
Christians. 

She touched his arm with a quick decisive 
gesture. 

“ I believe, after all,” she said, “ that I’ll take 
the imitation rug we were looking at.” 

Yes, she decided, she must have the rug. 
Even though it were only a copy of a very old 
rug, it was beautiful. She could see the pat¬ 
tern in her mind, the lovely soft colors, aged, 
perhaps by artificial means, but nevertheless 
lovely. There was something about it, strangely 
familiar. And then she remembered. It was 
the same design as the piece of tapestry which 


190 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the child in the Mission School had insisted on 
giving her. She found herself explaining to 
Namar. The two matched so nicely. She must 
have that rug! 

She looked at him in sudden alarm. He 
seemed strangely disturbed, and there was no 
mistaking the fact that he was struggling with 
some overpowering emotion. Quite distinctly, 
she saw his chest heave and the knuckles of his 
hands whiten as they gripped his folded arms. 

She was beginning to know actual fear. 
What could be the reason for this strange dis¬ 
play of emotion ? Was he provoked because she 
refused to fall in with the plans he had made, 
and because in this public place he dared not 
force her to accompany him farther? She 
turned back the way they had come, wondering 
anxiously just how she could manage to elude 
him. She did not look again in his direction, 
but she knew that he walked just a step behind 
her. 

The rug was gone, and gone, too, was the 
vender. But she had no chance to voice the dis¬ 
appointment which she felt. She was con¬ 
fronted suddenly by the fat, red-faced little 
figure of Monsieur Petot. 


PRAYER RUGS 191 

“Ah, Meese Aneese!” he exclaimed, his 
round face radiating a relieved smile. “ Such 
distractment! To vanish so, without one word! 
Veree anxious, have I been! You alone, in this 
place, and not knowing the way to return! ” 

“ But I have not been alone,” she sought to 
reassure him, so relieved at his presence, that 
her fear of her companion was melting away. 
“ He has been helping me find a prayer rug.” 
She glanced at Namar, but he stood in an im¬ 
passive silence, apparently absorbed in thought. 

“ Pay heem hees fee, then, for his services, 
and let us return,” Monsieur advised. “ Dinner 
will be over, and there is young lamb with mint 
sauce. Ah! ” The tip of his pink tongue pro¬ 
truded from between his full red lips, and one 
hand lingered affectionately on his round 
stomach. 

Namar drew himself up with a haughty 
gesture. There was no mistaking the fact that 
he meant to accept nothing from her. 

“ Shall I tell the fellow to hold the rug until 
you can come, or perhaps you would like him to 
bring it to the Pension? ” 

Monsieur Petot was shaking his head and 
making signs to her behind Namar’s broad back. 


192 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ I am a little undecided,” she told him. 
“ After all, there is no hurry. We shall be here 
possibly for some time, and there seems to be 
quite a lot of beautiful rugs. I don’t know that 
I should feel right about owning anything so 
sacred as a really ancient prayer rug.” 

She did not mean to let him guess how un¬ 
easy she had been, and how immensely relieved 
she was to find Monsieur Petot. 

He made no reply, merely bowed and was 
soon lost to sight. 

She honestly could not have told whether 
she was relieved or sorry to see him go. 

‘‘ That fellah, now,” Monsieur Petot re¬ 
marked, “ he seems like a good one, but one 
never knows. These Mohammedans are a 
crafty lot. One cannot put too much confi¬ 
dence in them, for all their love in Allah.” 

She felt that, on the whole, he was right, 
though she could not believe that there was any 
real harm in Namar, for any one of the many 
arched doorways of the narrow dimly lighted 
streets might have been a trap, had he wanted 
one. 

Refiecting on how she had confided to him 
that her uncle and Lucille were out of the city, 


PRAYER RUGS 


193 


and that Dick was ill at the Pension, she 
reasoned that such an opportunity would have 
been just what he wanted, had he intended any 
harm toward her. True, it may have been the 
unexpected appearance of Monsieur Petot, that 
had spoiled his plans, for there had been that 
unaccountable display of emotion when she had 
insisted on turning back to purchase the imita¬ 
tion rug. Whether it was anger, at the mis¬ 
carriage of his plans, or irritability because of 
his fear of missing the vender who would per¬ 
haps pay him a handsome commission for find¬ 
ing him a customer, she could not tell. Cer¬ 
tainly his countenance had given evidence that 
he was struggling to suppress an agitation that 
did not fit the occasion. 

Yes, she told herself, Lucille and Dick were 
undoubtedly right to a certain extent. It 
would be better to have nothing further to do 
with this strange youth. She would cease think¬ 
ing of him, entirely. At least she would try. 
One couldn’t do more than try. 

Reared as he had been, to hate Christians, 
and professing as he had done, but a short time 
previous, that he did not believe in God, he was 
not, she reasoned, one in whom to place one’s 


194 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

confidence. Anything might be expected of 
such a person. 

Lucille’s and Dick’s suspicions did not seem 
so fantastic as they had. She had no intention, 
however, of taking them into her confidence in 
the matter. The less said to them about 
Namar Harjad, the better. 

Though her excursion with him in the ba¬ 
zaars had been another bit of impulsive folly, 
she had returned in perfect safety. But she 
would not repeat the occurrence. She was not 
a coward, but she realized that discretion is by 
far the better part of valor. 

She found Dick awake and fretting at her 
absence. He had evidently not been informed 
of her visit to the bazaars, even though Ma¬ 
dame had promised so faithfully to give him the 
best of her attention. 

To please Dick, Anise chose for the evening 
one of her prettiest frocks, a delicate green 
georgette, with insets of cream lace at neck 
and hem. He liked her in pale green with a 
touch of apricot to match her cheeks. He had 
told her so more than once. 

She liked the thought of pleasing him. It 
eased the guilty feeling she had because she did 


PRAYER RUGS 195 

not mean to tell him of meeting Namar in the 
bazaars. 

She had their dinner brought to his room and 
spread upon a small table by the long narrow 
window. Dick lounged indolently in a big chair 
on one side, while she sat opposite, eagerly at¬ 
tentive to his wants. She exerted herself to 
make the meal as enjoyable as it was appetiz¬ 
ing, for Madame Petot seemed to outdo her¬ 
self with each successive meal which they ate 
under her roof. 

Dick seemed neither to note her festive at¬ 
tire, nor the culinary art of his landlady. He 
ate fitfully, in a gloom that did not lift. She 
plunged into an animated resume of the most 
interesting and unusual of their experiences 
since leaving America, and raced ahead, in 
glowing anticipation of the treats yet in store 
for them. 

Dick’s monosyllabic comments were not en¬ 
couraging, and after a time, she, too, subsided 
into a thoughtful silence. 

Later, when they were settled on the house¬ 
top, where all Damascus spends its nights, he 
said, “ I can’t help but think that Dad made a 
mistake in leaving you here. Anise.” 


196 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ But, Dick! You wouldn’t have liked being 
left alone — ill, in a strange place like this! ” 

He raised a languid hand to protest against 
the persistence of a band of mosquitoes that 
buzzed about his head. 

“ I can’t get that Namar Harjad out of my 
mind. Anise.” 

She gave a guilty start and wondered what he 
would say if she told him, that she, too, was in 
the same predicament. She kept silence, merely 
sitting a little more tensely in her chair and 
opening and closing, with quick, hurried ges¬ 
tures, the wide fan she held. 

“ I’ve got a hunch, Anise, that he’ll turn up 
again, soon,” he went on, apparently indiffer¬ 
ent to the fact that she had not replied to his 
comment. “ And now that Dad and Lucille 
are out of the way, and I’m practically laid up, 
it seems to me, he’s got just the opportunity he’s 
been waiting for.” 

“ Now, Dick,” she pleaded, “ you’re letting 
your imagination create a lot of unnecessary 
trouble for you. You’re making out a case 
against him, simply because he had the mis¬ 
fortune to cross our path a few times while re¬ 
turning to his own land. You’ll have to find 



PRAYER RUGS 


197 


better proof than that of his duplicity before 
you can convince me that he is a bad character.” 

“ I haven’t any proof! That’s just it! ” ex¬ 
claimed Dick. “ It’s intuition entirely. But 
I want you to promise me this, Anise, that you’ll 
not leave the pension with any one, for any rea¬ 
son, until Dad returns.” 

She sent him an amused smile that belied en¬ 
tirely her own uneasiness regarding Namar and 
the enigma of his appearance here in such ap¬ 
parently destitute circumstances. It did not 
fit in with the Namar she had known in America, 
the Namar who had been so eager for knowl¬ 
edge that he would humble himself to the lowli¬ 
est tasks to gain his end — the Namar who had 
been sent to England by his father, to learn the 
English language. Why should he have given 
up all that he was attaining in America to re¬ 
turn here to a beggarly existence? No matter 
how unsatisfactory were her own attempts to 
solve the puzzle, she could not convince herself 
that Dick’s intuitions were any nearer the truth. 

He leaned toward her, looking earnestly 
down upon her. “ You haven’t promised. 
Anise.” 

“ Of course I promise, Dick,” she said, with 


198 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

an attempt at lightness, yet distinctly conscious 
of the fact that she was not playing fair. She 
knew that she ought to tell him of seeing 
Namar again, and of her experience with him 
that day. 

They sat silent for a time, each busy with 
their own train of thought. 

“ Do you know. Anise,” he said, after a time, 
“ I simply can’t get rid of the idea that there is 
some reason for the way this fellow has come 
into our lives.” His dark head resting on the 
high back of his chair was outlined against the 
pale depths of the sky. 

“ What do you mean, Dick? ” she asked, held 
by an unusual quality in his voice. 

“ I hardly know, myself. Anise, that’s why 
I’m so upset about him. I’ve tried not to think 
that he means harm to you, and yet it seems to 
me, that he’s to influence us, somehow through 
you.” 

She murmured an unintelligible sound, a sort 
of crooning note, that blended into the sleepy 
coo of some pigeons from a near-by housetop. 

He continued softly, yet with an increasing 
eagerness, as though it were a relief to put into 
words, thoughts that had troubled him for a 


PRAYER RUGS 199 

long time. “ When you came to us, Anise,” he 
said, “ I couldn’t help but think that it was a 
mistake. I couldn’t see how you were going to 
fit in. I don’t know what you’ve done — but 
somehow I can’t imagine how we could do with¬ 
out you, now. If anything should happen — ” 

“ Don’t, Dick,” she begged, “ there’s nothing 
going to happen. You exaggerate the danger 
because you’re ill.” 

“ It’s being ill that makes me realize the 
danger. Anise. I’ve felt this coming on, for 
a long time. It seems to me that it was sent me 
for some special reason.” 

“Dick!” she protested. “You’re getting 
morbid.” 

“ I’m not. I was merely going to say that 
perhaps it’s the best thing that could happen to 
me. When I look back, I can see just how in¬ 
sufferable I must have been to Lucille, boasting 
about my physique, etc. If I ever get my 
strength back, again, I mean to be more modest 
about it. After all, it’s as Dad said, coming over 
on the boat. Those who have something to 
boast of, don’t do it. I can see now, why Lucille 
always treated me like the blight of her life.” 

“ Lucille is like you, in a way, Dick,” Anise 



200 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

answered him. ‘‘ She hides her real feelings 
under a gay exterior, just as you hide yours 
under a rather bravado air.” She stopped short; 
a little uncertain whether or not she ought to 
continue. 

“ Yes,” he said, “ IVe been suspecting it for 
some time. She’s always pretended that Dad 
meant nothing in her young life, except a sort 
of perpetual bank roll, and now look at the way 
she tags after him, and hangs on everything he 
says.” 

Anise’s eyes were bright, as she put in. “ I’ve 
been thinking that, myself, Dick, and you don’t 
know how glad I am. I know that Uncle Sid¬ 
ney would give all he has to be real pals with 
you and Lucille. It’s just that life hasn’t given 
him the opportunity until now.” 

He sat up straight, and looked at her. 
“ Well, I guess the least we can do is to give 
him his wish. At any rate. I’ll quit knocking 
these foreign places he’s so wrapped up in. 
But,” he added, with a sigh. “ I’d give a lot 
to be back in America. And I’d give still more,” 
with emphasis, “ to be certain we won’t run into 
that Harjad person again, but I’ve got a feel¬ 
ing that I won’t get my wish.” 


CHAPTER XV 


THE PLOT THICKENS 

Dick insisted on breakfasting, the next morn¬ 
ing, in the dining-room. He felt decidedly bet¬ 
ter, he said, and Anise noted with relief the ab¬ 
sence of any sign of fever. Madame Petot’s 
expression, as she gazed in their direction, also 
helped to reassure her. She knew that there 
were malignant forms of malaria. She could 
not bear to think of Dick seriously ill. The 
doctor had said it was but a slight touch, and 
now it seemed that he was right. Dick, with 
his great build and splendid health, would be 
able to throw it off entirely in a few days. 
Surely he was wrong in his belief that there was 
some meaning back of his illness. She threw 
off the unwelcome thought, and gave her at¬ 
tention to the tempting repast before them. 
Dick, however, made only a pretense of eating. 
He barely tasted the omelette, a golden fluffy 
mound, on squares of delicately browned toast, 
the luscious apricots, or the delicious figs in their 
spiced amber syrup. 


20X 


202 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


“We might take a stroll after a while,” he 
said, as they left the room together, “ but I 
think I’ll lie down a bit, first. Didn’t get much 
sleep last night, listening to the mosquito sym¬ 
phony orchestra on the netting over my bed.” 

Madame Petot, who was lingering near the 
door, beckoned to Anise with a nod of her head. 
Dick sauntered out, and Anise could hear him 
mounting the stairs to his room. 

“ So much better, he looks this morning! 
But malaria’s a treacherous thing, sometimes. 
A long time, he has been trying to pretend there 
was nothing wrong, but I know the signs! And 
there’s something else, Meese Aneese. That 
fellow, now, that you were asking about the 
other day. Back again he came this morning 
looking for work. I just wanted to warn you. 
He is strong. Let him work. Alms may be 
all right for those who are crippled or old, but 
for a young fellow like heem — ” She shook 
her head, emphatically. 

“ He is here, now? ” Anise asked, more to be 
saying something, than through any desire to 
know more about him, for she had intended to 
put him definitely from her thoughts, especially 
since her talk the night before with Dick. 


THE PLOT THICKENS 203 

“ Yes.” Madam Petot nodded toward the 
kitchen. “ A fast worker, he is. Not many 
are so willing. He more than earns his food. 
I just thought I’d tell you, for I’m sure there 
are many who need help far worse than heem.” 

With a murmured, “ Thank you,” Anise 
strolled toward Madame’s little parlor, which 
had been turned over to her guests. Idly she 
glanced through first one magazine and then 
another. It was impossible to concentrate on 
the subj ect matter. Namar here at the pension, 
again. Dick would surely learn of it before 
long. 

She flung down her magazine and moved to¬ 
ward the window, where she stared disinter¬ 
estedly at the morning parade of passersby. 
She heard again Dick’s words of the night be¬ 
fore: ‘‘ I can’t get rid of the idea that there is 
some reason for the way this fellow has come into 
our lives — it seems to me, that he’s to influ¬ 
ence us, somehow through you.” Were Dick’s 
words a portent, or were they merely the result 
of his lowered vitality, and the idle hours he was 
forced to endure? 

With a little gesture of disgust, she turned 
toward the door. 


204 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ I’ll be getting morbid, myself, if I do much 
more thinking along this line! ” she told her¬ 
self, as she moved toward the staircase. She 
would write some letters. Anything to put 
Namar Harjad out of her mind. 

But in the corridor which led to her room, 
she came upon him, down upon his knees, busily 
scrubbing its already spotless floor. Madame 
Petot believed firmly in cleanliness being next 
to godliness. 

She watched him thoughtfully, as he scram¬ 
bled to his feet and moved his bucket so that 
she might pass, and smiled to herself at the 
thought that there might be danger to her from 
this tall, muscular youth, who in spite of his 
lowly occupation stood so straight and dignified 
before her — almost as though he were greeting 
her on the college campus where she had first 
known him. 

His eyes met hers in a calm, direct gaze. “ I 
have been wondering. Miss Decard, if you 
would let me see the piece of tapestry you spoke 
of yesterday.” 

“ The tapestry? ” She was thinking more 
of him and his new occupation, than of what he 
was saying. 



THE PLOT THICKENS 205 

“ Yes. You mentioned having a piece of 
tapestry which was woven in the same pattern 
as that rug we saw — the one I told you was hut 
a clever fake.” 

Oh, yes,” she agreed. “ It was because the 
two matched so nicely, that I wanted the rug! 
And you want to see it? ” 

“ If you would be so kind.” 

“ Why, yes — certainly,” motioning toward 
her door. “ It is on the wall.” 

“ Could you not bring it here? ” he asked, a 
certain hesitation in his voice. 

“ But it is tacked to the wall. You will have 
to come,” nodding again toward her door. 

Surely there could be no harm in permitting 
him to see the tapestry. With a hospitable ges¬ 
ture she opened her door and nodded toward 
it, moving to one side as he hesitated on the 
threshold. 

The room had been Madame Petot’s own 
private one, which she had vacated for the two 
girls, and in a niche between the windows was 
a tiny altar, with an array of candles, crucifix 
and images of saints, for Madame was very 
devout. To Anise, the space over the altar had 
seemed to call for just the lovely colors which 




206 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the tapestry held, and so she had had Monsieur 
tack it just there. 

“There!” she exclaimed, “isn’t it beauti¬ 
ful? ” nodding toward it. “ And it is the same 
pattern as that rug we saw. I do wish we could 
find that merchant — ” and then she stopped 
short, for she remembered that she must have 
nothing more to do with him. Even now — 
why — but surely no one would have refused 
such a request. 

He made no reply, but stood staring, while 
she watched him curiously. 

He seemed to have forgotten her, and the 
fact that he was staying much longer than was 
necessary. 

Uneasily, she moved toward one of the win¬ 
dows, wondering how best to intimate that she 
thought he had better go. 

The tinkle of Dick’s bell startled her. She 
cast an appealing glance toward the silent 
figure, staring at the tapestry, apparently lost 
in thought, and then hurried to the door. 

Service was not one of the outstanding fea¬ 
tures of the pension. One simply called from 
the stair-head to the hallway below, and if any 
one happened to be about, one’s wants were at 


THE PLOT THICKENS 207 

once satisfied. Otherwise, one went in search 
of the desired article or need. The Petots made 
no pretense of running an up-to-date establish¬ 
ment. Good food and clean lodgings were the 
prime requisites of existence they believed, and 
certainly there was an abundance of both. It 
was the fame of Madame Petot’s cuisine that 
had brought them to her. 

It was with a smile of benevolence that she 
had placed the little bell on Dick’s bedside table. 

“ As a special favor,” she had announced. 
‘‘ When one is ill — ah — Monsieur Dick has 
only to ring, and — ” 

But Monsieur Dick had rung a number of 
times without results, and so Anise had taken 
it upon herself to answer his calls. 

“ Tell them to fix me up some fresh lemonade, 
will you please. Anise,” he begged, as she opened 
his door. “ It’s the only thing that isn’t utterly 
tasteless.” 

“You won’t mind waiting a bit, will you, 
Dick? ” she returned. “ Monsieur Petot has 
not returned from the market, and you know 
how they buy — just enough for one day at a 
time. I doubt if there’s a lemon on the place 
just now. But I’ll go and see.” 



208 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

She hurried back to her own room. She must 
get rid of Namar at once. Dick might become 
impatient at any moment, and go in search of 
his lemonade. They might meet on the stairs or 
in the hallway. She was exceedingly anxious 
that their meeting be postponed as long as pos¬ 
sible, though she believed now it was inevitable, 
since Namar had been put to work inside the 
establishment. 

He was standing as she had left him. She 
thought he looked surprised as she reentered 
the room, as though he had not noticed her ab¬ 
sence. 

“ You are most kind to — ” Bowing, he 
turned toward the door, and without finishing 
his sentence, passed through. 

She stood immobile, staring at the half- 
opened door through which he had passed, hope¬ 
ful that he would be able to finish his task before 
Dick discovered him. 

Then remembering Dick’s request, she went 
in search of the lemonade, passing in silence the 
busy figure at the end of the corridor. 

Dick was so much better, late that evening, 
that they went for a short stroll, but it was a 
very quiet one, indeed. Both seemed preoccu- 



THE PLOT THICKENS 209 

pied with their own thoughts, nor did either no¬ 
tice the other’s abstraction. 

All day. Anise had puzzled over the request 
of Namar. Why should he wish to see the piece 
of tapestry? Did he think that it, too, was only 
a cheap piece of workmanship, and as worthless 
as the rug he had called a fake ? Why, too, had 
he not made some explanation as to the reason 
for his interest in it? He had merely asked to 
see it, and had made no comment, merely a brief 
word of thanks. 

She was relieved and glad when her uncle 
and Lucille returned, for now there would be 
little chance to ponder upon the unanswerable 
riddle of Namar Harjad. 

Lucille was filled to overfiowing with vitality. 
They had met friends while returning to Da¬ 
mascus — American friends, and now that her 
father’s business affairs were practically set¬ 
tled, and it had become known among his con¬ 
freres that he had both a very charming daugh¬ 
ter and niece and an equally interesting young 
son, there was the prospect of some real gayety 
ahead. 

She fairly bubbled over with animation. She 
hugged Dick with an exaggerated display of 


210 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

affection, but Anise could see beneath the pre¬ 
tended lightness, a real relief over her brother’s 
improved condition. 

They were in their room, idling away the 
time before dressing for dinner. 

“I’m invited to-night, to a little dinner party, 
Mrs. Lafon is having. Her very tall cousin, 
Jerry Lafon, an excruciatingly formal person, 
with a very blase air, is calling for me. Can you 
imagine any one of that stripe playing up to 
me?” 

Anise gave her an indulgent smile. “You 
rather fancy yourself as an empty-headed bit of 
fluff, don’t you, Lucille ? If you ask me, I’d say 
it’s not so very hard to see beneath your shell.” 

“ Well, I like that. Anise Decard I ” she ex¬ 
claimed with a pretense of anger, and flinging 
an armful of garments she had taken from her 
bag into an untidy heap upon her bed. 

“ It’s a sort of armor, Lucille, that you wear 
to protect your real self, isn’t it? ” 

Lucille swung about and stared at her cousin 
lying full length across her own bed. 

“ You’ve become a most observing person, all 
of a sudden. Not going in for psycho-analysis, 
are you? ” 


THE PLOT THICKENS 211 

‘‘ Not exactly. It’s only that I think you’re 
making a mistake to cover up your real good¬ 
ness of heart. You’re cutting yourself off from 
so much real happiness.” 

“Will you kindly tell me what this is the 
prelude to, or is it the result of being left alone 
with a sick cousin? ” 

“ It is Dick, Lucille,” she said, gently. “ This 
illness of his, slight though it is, has changed 
him. He’s had quite a lot of time to think — 
and I believe it’s done him good, in a way. 
Won’t you leave off your armor after this, when 
you’re with him? He’s more fond of you than 
you can guess.” 

Lucille’s eyes were very bright, as she re¬ 
garded her cousin, and once, during Anise’s 
little speech, she drew in her breath sharply, but 
she made no answer to Anise’s appeal, only 
flung away toward the tiny chest of drawers 
and yanked one of them open with a vicious 
gesture. 

“ I haven’t a decent rag to wear, to-night! ” 
she bemoaned. “ Everything is crumpled and 
rumpled beyond recognition. I’d look like a 
drowned mermaid in this green chiffon. My 
flame georgette is utterly ruined. This black 


212 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

lace makes me look like a lost shadow, and 
this — ” 

“If there’s anything I can lend you— ” Anise 
began. 

“ Oh, will you, really? I’ve just been wishing 
for that Spanish shawl you bought in Marseilles. 
One doesn’t need a frock if you know how to 
drape them, and they’re all the rage now in 
America. I’ve got those garnet earrings, and 
that high carved comb, if I can just manage 
to make this bob look dignified.” 

“But, Lucille, it makes you look so much 
older,” Anise protested, as she watched her 
cousin try the effect of the high comb against 
her severely arranged hair. 

“Well, who cares? That Lafon chap isn’t 
just out of kindergarten himself.” 

It was a very beautiful, radiant Lucille that 
flashed down the stairs a little later. She might 
almost have been mistaken for a real senorita, 
ready for her first bull-fight. She did pucker 
her lips into a momentary pout when her father 
very quietly announced that he would accom¬ 
pany them to the Lafons’ hotel and call for her 
later. Damascus was not America, though 
things were on the whole very serene at present. 


THE PLOT THICKENS 213 

Lucille’s high spirits were still in evidence the 
next morning. She gave them a glowing ac¬ 
count, over the breakfast table, of the previous 
evening’s happenings, and Anise noted with 
pleasure that she divided her attention equally 
between her father and Dick, and that her man¬ 
ner held a new note of softness. 

There was no sign of it, however, an hour 
later, when, returning to their room after break¬ 
fast, Anise found her in the midst of a dis¬ 
mantled dresser and trunk. 

“ My sapphire bar pin that Aunt Della gave 
me, is gone! I’ve hunted through everything 
I have, and it isn’t here! It’s been stolen! ” 


CHAPTER XVI 


TROUBLED DAYS 

“ Stolen? Oh, surely not! ” Anise protested. 
“ When did you wear it last? ’’ 

“ I don’t remember, but it was here when I 
left for the Tulul-ef-Safa. I had intended giv¬ 
ing it to Monsieur Petot to put in the safe, but 
Dick’s illness upset me so — ” 

“ Was it here last night? ” 

“ I can’t say. I didn’t think to look. I was 
too concerned with what I was to wear to the 
Lafons’.” 

“ It’s surely here, somewhere,” Anise insisted, 
her eyes traveling from trunk trays to the open 
dresser drawers. 

But a systematic search through the belong¬ 
ings of both girls, revealed no trace of the miss¬ 
ing pin. Drawers, boxes, trays, and every piece 
of furniture in the room was examined. Cloth¬ 
ing was shaken out and searched, but with no 
results. 

“ I can’t think it was any one from the out- 

214 



TROUBLED DAYS 2IS 

side,”. Lucille said, moving toward the high 
barred window. “ It would take a slim Jim, 
sure enough, to get through those bars. I hate 
to say it, but it must have been some one in the 
house. IVe seen Cecile’s eyes lingering long¬ 
ingly over it more than once.” 

“ Oh, Lucille, you surely won’t let them think 
you suspect her? ” Anise, stooping over the 
disarray of wearing apparel she had been 
searching, raised startled eyes to her cousin. 
“ IVe heard Madame tell so many that Cecile 
is like a daughter to them. They have had her 
so long. It would hurt them dreadfully, if she 
were accused of such a thing.” 

“ Will you please make a suggestion, then? 
It was here when I left. It was either taken 
while I was away, some time during last night, 
or while we were breakfasting this morning.” 

“But our door was locked during the night, 
and no one could get through those windows.” 

“ Exactly! Then it was either taken this 
morning, or during my absence. It’s a pretty 
clear case against Cecile, it seems to me, since 
no one enters our rooms but her.” 

Anise stood as if suddenly turned to stone, 
and a slow flush mounted to her cheeks. She 


216 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

dropped the box of gloves she had lifted from 
a drawer, with a little clatter into a tray that 
held a miscellaneous collection of beads, ear¬ 
rings, bangles, and slipper buckles. 

“ What’s wrong,” Lucille inquired, bestow¬ 
ing a wondering look upon her cousin. “ I hope 
you’ll forgive me, but you look guilty enough to 
have been the thief, yourself.” 

The smile she had expected to bring to Anise’s 
face, did not materialize, and she regarded her 
now, with growing wonder. 

Anise did not meet her eyes. She toyed ab¬ 
stractedly with a string of crystal beads that lay 
under her hands. 

“ Anise Decard! I do believe you know 
something about that pin! ” 

“ I don’t know — anything about — the 
pin,” Anise returned, haltingly, “ but — ” 

“But — what?” Lucille demanded, when 
her cousin made no attempt to finish her sen¬ 
tence. 

Anise turned toward her now, with an ap¬ 
pealing gesture. “ Believe me, Lucille,” she 
pleaded, “ Cecile didn’t take it. I’m sure 
we’ll find it, if we search carefully.” 

Lucille was regarding her now, with snapping 



TROUBLED DAYS 217 

eyes. She flung back the lock of hair that had 
a habit of falling forward over one eye, and 
looked searchingly at her cousin. 

“ You may as well come right out and say 
you’re trying to shield some one. You’ve seen 
some one here — ” 

Anise moved toward the window and stood 
looking down into the street. If only she might 
see Namar and ask — But, no, she couldn’t ask 
him a thing like that. He wouldn’t have taken 
Lucille’s pin. But Cecile must not be accused 
— Cecile with her eager, worshipful eyes, her 
willingness to please any and all of them. Yet 
how could she save Cecile without exposing 
Namar? She remembered with a little shiver 
how she had left him here, while she answered 
Dick’s bell. He might very easily have opened 
a drawer, or lifted the lid of Lucille’s trunk, 
which she had left unlocked, and taken the pin. 
But he had not, she said over and over, to her¬ 
self. He had not taken it. Of that she was 
very sure. 

“ You can tell me what you know. Anise,” 
Lucille was saying in level tones, “ or I’ll go 
straight to Dad and let him investigate this. 
I don’t intend to lose Aunt Della’s gift in such 




218 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

a fashion.” She started toward the door, but 
Anise was beside her, clutching her arm. 

“ Don’t you see, Lucille,” she begged, “ it 
couldn’t have been either of them! They 
wouldn’t do such a contemptible thing as steal 
your pin. Cecile is such a — ” 

Either of them? ” Lucille interrogated. 
“ Just who do you mean was here, beside 
Cecile? ” 

“ Why Namar — Namar Harjad. But he 
wouldn’t take your pin, Lucille. I’m sure of 
that,” Anise hurried breathlessly on, unmind¬ 
ful of the growing amazement on her cousin’s 
face. 

“ Are you crazy. Anise Decard, or are you 
merely dreaming? Any one would think that 
Namar Harjad had been here in this room! ” 

“ That’s just it, Lucille, he was. But only 
for a moment. He wanted to see the tapestry.” 

“ Now, I know you’re out of your mind. 
Anise! Do you mean to say that you have seen 
him here in Damascus, without telling Dick 
and me, and that you actually let him come in 
here! ” 

Anise nodded miserably. 

“ And just when we were feeling so relieved 



TROUBLED DAYS 219 

because we thought he had disappeared for 
good! ” 

Anise explained hurriedly. She told of see¬ 
ing him before the house, and then in the court¬ 
yard and of her trip to the bazaars with Mon¬ 
sieur Petot and her meeting Namar and of their 
search for a rug. But she did not tell of her 
uneasiness while with him, nor of her relief in 
finding Monsieur. She did tell, though, of his 
changed appearance, and reiterated over and 
over, her belief in him in spite of her inability to 
find some reason for his strange actions, and his 
disreputable appearance. She told then, of 
finding him scrubbing the corridor and his re¬ 
quest to see the tapestry, and how she had left 
him a few moments to answer Dick’s ring. 

“ Now, let me tell you the answer! ” Lucille 
said grimly, when she had finished. “ It only 
proves that he’s up to some mischief. The nerve 
of him, coming here! We can be glad, I guess, 
if we escape with only the loss of a pin. It’s my 
opinion that he wants to find out the lay of the 
land.” 

“ He really didn’t want to come in,” Anise in¬ 
sisted, “ but the tapestry was on the wall 
and — ” 


220 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“Merely a pretense. If you hadn’t let him, 
he would have found some other way to get in.- 
Dick’s got to know about this, at once. Come 
on, you can tell him better than I.” She caught 
Anise by the hand, and hurried her across the 
hall to Dick’s room. 

He listened in a gloomy silence, his eyes rest¬ 
ing on Anise in reproachful apprehension. 

“It’s just what I’ve been expecting,” he an¬ 
nounced, when for the second time, she had fin¬ 
ished the recital of her meeting Namar. “ I 
can’t imagine what you were thinking of, Anise, 
to trust yourself with him, and as for letting 
him in to see the tapestry — ” 

“ But Monsieur and Madame surely trust 
him,” Anise defended him. 

“ Don’t you think Dad ought to know, so 
that he can put the police on his trail,” Lucille 
interrupted. “ If he gets by with this, who 
knows what he’ll attempt next! ” 

Dick stared thoughtfully before him. “ It 
might be better to wait a bit and see if we can’t 
find out what he’s up to. If we scare him off 
now, we may have him tagging us all over 
Europe. I’d like to finish with this bird, here 
and now. I’m certainly glad I’ve shaken off 



TROUBLED DAYS 221 

that fever. It’ll be a pleasure to get my hands 
on him, and shake the truth out of him.” 

He strode back and forth before the girls, 
head up and chest out, apparently the old Dick 
who gloried in combat. Anise eyed him 
anxiously when he paused before her. 

“ Now, Anise, the very first time you lay 
eyes on him, again, you’re to come straight to 
me! And if you don’t mind. I’ll stick pretty 
close to you, in the future.” 

“But what about my pin?” Lucille inter¬ 
posed. “ If we don’t put the police on his trail 
at once. I’ll never see it again. He’ll have sold 
it or traded it. We must tell Madame and 
Monsieur at once! ” 

“ It’ll be lost in a good cause, then,” Dick re¬ 
turned. “ After all, it’s more important that 
we find out just what he is up to. He didn’t 
trail us all the way from America to swipe a 
little trinket like that. On the whole, I believe 
we’ll not tell the Petots. I’ll just do a little 
sleuthing on my own.” 

Discreet questioning of Madame Petot, how¬ 
ever, revealed that Namar had not sought work 
there since the day of the tapestry incident. 
However, he might come at any time. She 


222 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

would tell him that Mister Richard wanted to 
see him. Was it a valet he was needing? Ora 
guide? She could recommend several — 

But Dick did not take her into his confi¬ 
dence. Her garrulity was a matter that had 
already caused them much amusement. 

Anise was relieved that nothing was to be 
said, as yet, of the lost pin. Try as she might, 
she could not convince herself that Namar 
meant any of them harm, or that he was in any 
way connected with the disappearance of Lu¬ 
cille’s pin. She tried to believe that the pin 
would be found. She believed in Cecile’s inno¬ 
cence as she did her own. 

The thought of Dick’s intention forcibly to 
compel Namar to an explanation of his move¬ 
ments made her seriously unhappy. She had 
a feeling that should Namar refuse there would 
be battle, and most certainly he would refuse. 
She dreaded the thought of a clash between 
the two. They were too well matched in 
physique to guess with any certainty which 
might come out victor, though Dick’s recent 
illness must have weakened him to a certain 
extent. 

She went about all that day, silent and un- 


TROUBLED DAYS 223 

happy, watching and listening in vain for some 
sign of his presence about the pension. She 
refused a pressing invitation of the Lafons’ to 
be one of their party on a moonlight trip into 
the desert. 

Dick, too, stayed behind. His father was 
expecting friends, and he’d rather listen to their 
discussion of local politics. But Anise knew 
that it was because of her that he remained be¬ 
hind. 

She tried to interest herself in the conversa¬ 
tion of her uncle and his friends, but she could 
not. Her thoughts were all mixed up in anxious 
speculations regarding Namar Harjad, and 
with the overpowering beauty of the night. 
The stars, clustered so closely overhead, seemed 
waiting to be reached for and plucked. Over 
the housetops, she could make out the gleam of 
the dome-shaped mosques with their tall mina¬ 
rets piercing the indigo sky. Sounds drifted 
up to them; the twang of musical instruments; 
snatches of song. 

She wandered restlessly away from the 
others. This oasis city, with its luxuriant gar¬ 
dens and orchards, in the midst of surrounding 
deserts, its pearly white buildings with their 


224 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

pink roofs, interspersed by their temples of 
worship — what did it mean to her? This city, 
founded so many centuries ago — one of the 
first on earth — was it to mean something more 
than just a loitering-place on their leisurely 
journey about the globe? 

‘‘ There is no God.” She found herself saying 
it over and over to herself. They were Namar 
Harj ad’s words. “ There is no God.” She must 
not see him again, though she knew quite well, 
that she would never be satisfied, until she had 
solved the mystery of him and his movements. 
No, she must not see him again, for such a meet¬ 
ing would only end in disaster to him. She 
could not ignore Dick’s right to know more 
about him, especially since the episode of the 
missing pin. 

“There is no God.” She must see him again. 
If he were being influenced by others of evil 
minds and hearts, he must be made to see his 
peril. If he were in need, or in trouble, he must 
know that there is a God. Yes, she must see 
him again. 

The voices of her uncle and his guests broke 
in upon her thoughts. They were discussing 
something in eager, suppressed voices, but she 


TROUBLED DAYS 225 

could not catch the drift of their talk, for fre¬ 
quently they lapsed into French, and her 
French was not what it should have been. She 
could tell, though, by the firm, forceful tones 
of her uncle, that he was being rather respect¬ 
fully listened to. 

When the men had departed, and they were 
alone, Dick said to his father, admiringly: “ You 
rather put it over, didn’t you, Dad? ” 

“ Put what over? ” Anise inquired, casu¬ 
ally, her mind still dwelling on Namar Harjad. 

“ Why, it’s only that Dad has sort of shown 
these Frenchmen something about how to 
handle the situation here. It takes an American 
to know how to do things,” he added, compla¬ 
cently. 

“ Do what. Uncle Sidney? What’s wrong 
with the situation here? ” Anise was becoming 
interested. 

“ It’s like this. Anise,” her uncle said. “ You 
know, of course, that France was given manda¬ 
tory power over Syria at the close of the war. 
You know, too, what proud, sensitive beings 
these Syrians are. Well, there was a rather 
serious misunderstanding between some of 
them and the new officials. It’s too involved to 


226 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

go into details, but the main thing was that an 
important group of the Syrians rebelled against 
the new rule. There was quite an uprising; 
militia, cavalry, and machine-guns were called 
out, and arrests made by the wholesale. The 
leaders were sentenced to long terms of penal 
servitude and their property confiscated. I had 
had business relations some years ago with' 
several of the men, so naturally their plight in¬ 
terested me. I’ve been trying to get the situa¬ 
tion cleared up and the men released. In cer¬ 
tain quarters there is still a lot of bitterness over 
the affair, and it’s my belief that the release 
of these men is the only way to bring about a 
cessation of the discontent. I tried to make 
this clear to the men here to-night, and I’ve 
an idea that they mean to accept my suggestion. 

“ Didn’t I tell you. Anise, there is a lot we 
can teach these Easterners? ” Dick exclaimed, 
a note of triumph in his voice. 

“ I think I agreed to that, before,” she said, 
softly, “ but perhaps — ” Her words trailed 
off into a sigh. 

She was too tired and unhappy to think about 
Syrian politics and America’s part in them. 


CHAPTER XVII 


A CLUE 

Although Mr. Lyman’s business affairs in 
Damascus had practically been completed, they 
lingered on. They were having callers con¬ 
stantly, together with invitations to dine, to 
dance, and to join parties making excursions 
into the desert, or to view the remains of what 
had once been magnificent temples and palaces 
at Baalbek. And in the hills of Lebanon, they 
saw all that was left of the cedars of Biblical 
fame, from which Solomon had built his temple. 
The parts of the mountain sides that were not 
entirely bare were terraced vineyards, and 
orchards of almond, apricots, apples, olives, and 
figs, their luxuriant growth in the midst of the 
surrounding sands, and stone, made possible 
by the streams from the mountains. 

Anise listened to long discussions of economic 
conditions, of the future possibilities of this land 
which was so rich in coal, oil, and other miner¬ 
als, of irrigation schemes that would make pro- 

227 


228 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

ductive its vast plains, now nothing but great 
arid wastes. 

They visited great groves of mulberry-trees, 
where enormous quantities of silkworms are 
raised, and later, one of the factories, and saw 
the cocoons spun into thread, and the thread 
woven into silk cloth. 

They wandered at will through the bazaars, 
and lingered in delight over intricately wrought 
brassware and silverware and inlaid woodwork. 
They bought from the tempting arrays of Turk¬ 
ish sweets, candies and pastries, and hung in de¬ 
light over the exquisite vials of rare Arabian 
perfumes. 

They spent hours in watching the slow, pains¬ 
taking weaving of beautiful rugs, made entirely 
by hand, from the carding and spinning of the 
wool, to the last carefully placed thread. Anise 
marveled at the patience and skill of the youth¬ 
ful weavers, spending months and months in 
perfecting one piece of work. The patterns in¬ 
terested her immensely. In the course of their 
travels they had seen many beautiful rugs, and 
she learned to distinguish between those of 
Persia, Turkey and India, and China. 

There were excursions into the heart of the 


A CLUE 229 

oldest sections of the city, where voluminous- 
skirted dancing girls, their arms and ankles 
loaded with silver bracelets, whirled and dipped 
in a tinkling frenzy to the weird music of strange 
instruments. 

It was a glamourous adventure to Anise, this 
delving into the heart of a civilization that was 
ancient long before the existence of her own 
country had been dreamed of. 

In company of a Syrian friend of her uncle’s, 
they visited the Grand Mosque, and were awed 
into silence by the grandeur and beauty of its 
incomparable arabesque decorations. The 
prayer niches, in mosaic, of marble and wood, 
inlaid with gold, silver, precious stones, and 
colored glass, held them enthralled. 

Looking at this evidence of the love and rever¬ 
ence of the Moslems for their Allah, she won¬ 
dered to what heights they might ascend were 
their energies directed toward the worship of the 
Christian God. 

There is no God. Over and over, the words 
recurred to her. She tried to forget them by 
dwelling on the strange sights and sounds about 
them, by plunging into the whirl of gayety in 
which they had been caught. 


230 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

After all, what could it mean to her that one 
of the faithful had rejected the God of his 
fathers? 

She was considerably thrilled by the polite 
attention of the friends of her uncle who seemed 
so eager to forget their years and the vexations 
and trials of their lives here. It flattered her 
that they seemed to forget also that both she 
and Lucille were but schoolgirls, but she for¬ 
gave them whole-heartedly their lack in this 
respect. 

The uniforms of the French officers and the 
immaculate black and white evening attire of 
the Americans and English, added a glamour to 
the background of the miscellaneously garbed 
throng of the inhabitants. If only Aunt Della 
could vision the whirl of gayety in which she had 
been caught. Certainly, she would have little 
cause to worry over her niece’s old-maidish pro¬ 
pensities. 

Her uncle reflected rather ruefully, on a 
number of occasions, that he had not been pre¬ 
pared to act as social secretary nor yet duenna. 
They should have brought Aunt Della with 
them. 

But Dick relieved him considerably in this 


A CLUE 


231 


respect. He clung closely to Anise, and no 
matter where they were, or what the time, she 
was conscious of his proximity and his roving 
eyes. He did not mention Harjad again, nor 
did Lucille, since Anise had promised to find 
a duplicate of her lost pin when they returned to 
America. 

She saw with dismay that though the others 
were enjoying to the full, the constant stream 
of new experiences, Dick seemed to have but 
one thought in mind, and that was the appre¬ 
hension of Namar Harjad, for Namar had not 
been seen by any of them at the pension since 
the disappearance of Lucille’s pin. Further in¬ 
quiries of Madame Petot elicited nothing but a 
shrug and a sigh. It was what one could expect. 
Good help was hard to find and still harder 
to keep. He had left that day and had not 
returned. 

Although the new and varied experiences had 
opened up new avenues of thought and specula¬ 
tion, Anise was conscious that, beneath it all, 
she was living in dread of meeting Namar. 
Though she told herself over and over that she 
must see him again, she did not want that meet¬ 
ing to be shared with Dick. She must see him 


232 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


alone. Embarrassing though it might be to 
them both, she meant to offer him help — what¬ 
ever kind he needed, material or spiritual. That 
he had rejected the faith of his fathers, indi¬ 
cated that he must be under some great mental 
stress. But that he had rejected the chance 
for an education in America to return here to 
live the life of a Syrian beggar indicated still 
more strongly that something had occurred to 
unsettle the plans he must have formulated 
for himself in America. Resolutely she put 
away any of the suspicions she had entertained 
during her experience with him in the bazaars. 
She reflected, that it was more the foreign at¬ 
mosphere of the place, the dim light simmering 
through the dirty skylights, and its motley 
patrons, coupled with the remembrance of 
Dick’s and Lucille’s suspicions, rather than 
any actual fear of him, that had made her so 
uneasy. 

Looking back now, she remembered only the 
stern profile, the hopeless quality of his voice, 
when he had said, “ There is no God,” and his 
unrestrained impatience with the merchant who 
was exploiting the rug which he knew to be a 
fake. 


A CLUE 


233 


She must see him again. She became almost 
panic-stricken when her uncle spoke of leaving 
in a day or so. She made excuses to remain in 
her room so that she might watch the throng 
that passed and repassed the pension. 

Though she watched for him, day after day, 
there was no sign of him. He seemed to her 
to have vanished completely. 

She was idling over one of Lucille’s maga¬ 
zines in Madame Petot’s tiny parlor, and Lu¬ 
cille was writing letters at the escritoire, late 
one afternoon, when Dick hurried in, his eyes 
gleaming with excitement. 

“ Well, I’ve seen our friend Namar, again.” 

Both girls looked up, startled, and Anise’s 
magazine fell to the floor. 

“ You didn’t hurt him, Dick? ” she ques¬ 
tioned, bending to retrieve the fallen book. 

“ Hurt him? I didn’t get the chance. He 
was too slick for me. I’m sure he saw me, 
for he edged off in the crowd before I could 
get to him.” 

Lucille gave vent to an exclamation of dis¬ 
gust. “ I thought you could do better than 
that! ” She turned, with a sigh, to her letter, 
and with her back to him, teased: “Asa detec- 


234 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

tive, Dick, I must say you’re a good football 
player. I thought you knew something about 
tactics. You may know how to tackle, but 
you know absolutely nothing about finesse. If 
you could manage to disguise your height in 
some way, you might get a chance at this fel¬ 
low, but since you tower miles over the heads of 
any crowd, he’ll have a chance to spot you first, 
every time. You ought to get you one of those 
Bedouin outfits, and grow a beard and side¬ 
burns, and loaf around shadowy doorways. 
Catch him at his own game, that's the idea." 

“ Is that so? You talk like a graduate of a 
correspondence school for the apprehension of 
international crooks.” 

“ Well, I’ve got my own ideas on the sub¬ 
ject. I’ve a notion to try to bag him, myself. 
And believe me, if I do. I’ll get that pin! ” 

“ You’ll do nothing of the sort! ” Dick ex¬ 
ploded. “ You’ll stay away from that bird, 
both of you! ” He glared now upon his silent 
cousin. “ If you’ll give me a chance, maybe. 
I’ll tell you what I came to tell.” 

Lucille half turned, but held her pen poised 
over her letter, as though it was vastly more in¬ 
teresting than Dick’s recital. 


A CLUE 235 

“ Well, let’s have it,” she prodded, impa¬ 
tiently. 

“ I was merely going to remark that our 
friend has a new disguise. He now assumes the 
part of an Eastern Prince. No doubt he be¬ 
came discouraged with the response from the 
other role, and thought he’d make better head¬ 
way in a more appealing part.” 

“ Don’t be silly,” Lucille scorned. “ He’s 
merely bought himself a new outfit with the pro¬ 
ceeds from the sale of my pin. It’s gone for 
good now, I suppose.” 

“ If that’s all the confidence you have in my 
prowess, perhaps I’d best let it go at that.” 
He shrugged indifferently, and turned to Anise, 
lowering his voice so that Lucille could not 
hear. 

“ I’m rather up a tree, with this fellow. Anise. 
He’s got me where I just don’t know what to 
think. But I want to insist that under no cir¬ 
cumstances must you have anything to do with 
him. Dad keeps his own counsel about the 
political situation here, because he has so many 
friends among the different races, but I hear 
things that make me uneasy. There’s been 
more trouble than he likes to admit. You can’t 


236 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

tell how some of these people may regard him, 
for mixing up in their affairs, and there’s no 
telling to what length they might go if they 
should have it in for him. ’Most any one would 
resent strangers mixing in their affairs, and 
since we’re seeing so much of some of the French 
officers — well, it’s too deep for a girl, but if 
this Namar should pull any ugly work, the 
chances are, he could get by with it.” 

“ Oh, Dick,” she protested, laying a concili¬ 
atory hand upon his arm, “ you’re letting your¬ 
self be carried away by your imagination. If 
he had intended any harm, surely he would not 
have waited all this time.” 

“You don’t know anything about it. Anise.” 
He rested one foot on the ottoman by Anise’s 
chair and stared moodily out the window. “ It’s 
better to be safe than sorry.” 

She knew the uselessness of trying to per¬ 
suade him to her way of thinking. She only 
hoped for one more chance to speak to Namar 
Harjad before they left Damascus. 

“ By Jove! ” he exclaimed, and nearly upset 
the ottoman in his haste to reach the door. 
“ There he goes now! Just let me at him! He’ll 
give an account of himself, or — ” 


A CLUE 


237 


Lucille had risen, and hurried to the window. 
Anise was clasping and unclasping her hands. 
“ Couldn’t we follow him, Lucille,” she im¬ 
plored. “ I can’t bear to think — Oh, don’t 
you see how impossible it all is — ? He might 
really hurt him! ” 

“ Hurt him? Don’t worry, dear. Dick 
hasn’t played half-back on one of the best teams 
in the country for nothing. Dick’ll knock him 
for a couple of goals before he’s through with 
him.” 

“ It’s not Dick — It’s Namar, I’m afraid for. 
Don’t you understand, Lucille ? He’s so gentle, 
so — so — If Dick, who is an American, and 
— and — a Christian, treats him with so much 
injustice, how can — how can he ever be per¬ 
suaded, that — that Christianity is the only 
right religion? ” 

“ My soul. Anise, but you’re going beyond 
your depth, aren’t you? If Namar Harjad 
stole my pin, he deserves all he gets at Dick’s 
hands. After all, I believe the big brother is 
more capable than I thought, and I hope he 
gives him good measure, pressed down and run¬ 
ning over, as these Easterners say, for all the 
uneasiness he’s caused us. At least, if he’s en- 






238 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

tertaining any further ideas of molesting us, 
or our possessions, Dick’ll discourage him, 
there.” 

Without another word. Anise turned and 
hurried to her room. To her, Lucille seemed 
utterly heartless, just then. How could they 
think such horrid things of him. If only they 
had known him as she had, in America! Of 
course they had known him, but they had not ap¬ 
preciated him. Would the time ever come when 
she and Lucille and Dick would be able to 
agree, would be able to look upon things from 
a similar viewpoint? She flung herself across 
her bed, and for a time gave herself up to a 
whole-souled desire to be back again, with Aunt 
Letty in the farmhouse, among the Kentucky 
hills, for there had been no constant conflict of 
ideas or personalities in Aunt Letty’s domain. 

She shed a few lonely tears on the immacu¬ 
late linen pillows without caring what Cecile 
might think of this evidence of her misery. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


SUSPENSE 

She lay there for a while, grieving over the 
injustice of her cousins, of the seeming impossi¬ 
bility of ever being able to understand them or 
to have them understand her. But after a time, 
she stirred impatiently, ashamed that she had 
allowed her emotions to gain the upper hand. 
After all, why should she let Namar Harjad 
come between her and Lucille and Dick? She 
had nothing on which to base her own belief 
in him, though why Dick should persist in be¬ 
lieving him such a scoundrel, was beyond her. 

Over and over, she asked herself: “ But why 
should I care? No doubt I’ll never see him 
again.” 

Surely he was no more to be pitied than 
others of the vast horde of beggars that lined 
the streets of the cities of the East. He, at 
least, was strong and healthy. But was he a 
beggar? Did the new clothes in which Dick 

239 


240 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

had seen him, come from the sale of Lucille’s 
sapphire pin? 

“I don’t believe it!” she asserted to the 
empty room, and sat up, staring defiantly at 
nothing in particular. 

If there were only some way in which to prove 
them wrong! It came to her then, quite clearly, 
that unless she did prove her faith in him, there 
would be little chance of ever gaining the respect 
of either of her cousins. They looked upon her 
as something to be protected from an unscrupu¬ 
lous world, a being who lacked insight, who 
blindly trusted all who came her way. She must 
make them see that she had reason for her belief 
in him, though just what her reasons were, were 
rather vague just then. It was more a kind 
of intuition, born of her first meeting with him; 
his gentle bearing, his indifference, while in 
America, to the opinions of those who mocked 
him, coupled with the clear, direct gaze from 
eyes that seemed to hold in them, nothing but 
good-will toward the world. She must find a 
way. She must find definite reasons for her 
belief in him. But how? That was the ques¬ 
tion. If she could only go to her uncle for 
advice. Dick had been very insistent that his 


SUSPENSE 241 

father know nothing of their coming into con¬ 
tact with Namar. It was his own pet plan for 
glory, the bringing of a rogue to justice, that is, 
if he really were the rogue Dick believed him to 
be. If he were not, the less said about his sus¬ 
picions, the better, for he had no desire to be 
the butt of any of his father’s jests. 

With new-born determination, she jumped 
from the bed, and hurried to her dresser. An 
idea had come at last; one that she could not 
afford to trifle with. She would confide in 
one of her uncle’s friends, an Englishman who 
with his wife was staying at a hotel a short dis¬ 
tance from the pension. She would persuade 
him to find out something of Namar Harjad.. 
There must be many ways to obtain the informa¬ 
tion she desired. He had spoken of his father, 
and his father’s house, though he had said noth¬ 
ing as to its whereabouts. She had a feeling 
that it was a rather underhanded move, on her 
part, this delving into the private affairs of one 
who had made no effort to reveal anything of 
himself; but surely, if she cleared him from 
the suspicions of her cousins, she was more than 
justified in such a move. 

Hurriedly she searched for an attractive 


242 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

frock. She must look her best. She smiled at 
the thought that such a desire indicated that she 
was surely growing up. She knew it was a part 
of woman’s natural wisdom to beautify herself 
when seeking favors of the other sex. 

What to wear! For the first time in her life, 
she was clothes conscious. Nothing suited. 
Her frocks seemed all too immature for a 
young miss about to interview a middle-aged 
Englishman. She thought of borrowing one of 
Lucille’s more sophisticated frocks without the 
formality of permission, and then she remem¬ 
bered the Spanish shawl. Just the thing, if 
she could manage to swirl it about her in the 
graceful way in which Lucille had worn it. She 
dug down into her trunk and drew it forth. 
She tried it first one way, and then another, an 
impatient frown appearing between her brows, 
as it refused to assume the graceful lines Lu¬ 
cille had obtained. 

She studied it anxiously for a few moments. 
After all, the blue crepe with the coral trim¬ 
mings was more becoming. She tossed the 
shawl toward the bed. Something clicked 
against the footboard and fell with a metallic 
tinkle on the polished floor. She turned and 


SUSPENSE 243 

stared, then with a little cry of joy, stooped and 
picked up Lucille’s missing sapphire pin. 

She stood with it in her hand, looking from 
it to the shawl lying in a heap on the floor. A 
few moments of serious thinking convinced her 
that the pin must have been caught in the shawl’s 
fringe on the night when Lucille had returned 
from the Lafons’ dinner party. The pin, no 
doubt, lay in the tray in an opened drawer, and 
the long, heavy fringe of the shawl, as Lucille 
had flung it from about her, must have lifted 
the pin from its resting-place. It had clung 
among the heavy silken threads, effectually hid¬ 
den from sight. 

She was laughing an excited little laugh as 
she laid it carefully on the dresser before her, 
and hurried into the blue crepe frock. 

She had proof now that Namar was not a 
thief. She plunged her amber comb through the 
thick waves of honey-colored hair, and gave 
herself a glowing smile in the tiny mirror. 

“ And I mean to get the other proof I need 
to convince them that he has not intended to 
harm us in any way! ” she declared to her image. 

Her smile vanished as she remembered that 
even now, Dick might have overtaken Namar 


244 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


and accused him of the theft of the pin. With 
a hasty daub of powder to the tip of her nose, 
she snatched up the pin and hurried out. Her 
visit to her uncle’s friend would have to ^ait. 
She would persuade Lucille to join her in search 
of Dick. He must know at once, that the pin 
had been recovered. 

At the top of the stairs she met Cecile hurry¬ 
ing up. Cecile informed her that some one was 
waiting in the parlor to see her and that Lucille 
had left word for her that she was going for a 
little stroll with Jerry Lafon. They would be 
away but a few moments. 

She returned to her room and placed the pin 
in a drawer of Lucille’s trunk, and turned the 
key on it, with a sigh. It was a relief to know 
that it was safe. She had felt more than once 
that both her cousins had blamed her, in a way, 
for its loss, though they had not said so. It had 
been an unconventional thing to do, her letting 
Namar enter their room. She could imagine 
her Aunt Della’s horror when she heard of it. 
“ Such a risque situation! ” she would exclaim. 
At the time, it had seemed the only thing to do. 

She moved slowly toward the door, through 
the hall and down the stairs, a bit provoked at 


SUSPENSE 245 

the caller whose visit was preventing her from 
going in search of Dick. 

She gave a little gasp of astonishment as she 
saw Namar Harjad turn from the window to¬ 
ward her, and bow. 

Dick had been right. He looked a prince in¬ 
deed in his rich new clothing. The long coat 
and trousers, the usual dress of dignified Syri¬ 
ans, was set off by a silken girdle of Persian 
design, and about his head was the white turban 
of the East. His attire, so different from the 
miscellaneous rags that had covered him the last 
time she had seen him, held her attention for a 
time, but it was upon his changed countenance 
that her eyes lingered. His old air of pride was 
there, but there was something more, an ex¬ 
pression that puzzled her, as though he were 
trying to suppress some great emotion that 
threatened to overflow the calm in which he 
had wrapped himself. 

“ If Dora could only see him now,” thought 
Anise with an inward smile, the remembrance 
of that first conversation about him, fresh in 
her mind, “ she’d surely agree he’s ‘ some 
sheik ’.” 

“ I came,” he said, in his formal manner, “ to 


246 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

conduct you to the house of my father. Your 
uncle, Mr. Lyman, is there now, and gave me 
permission to escort you and your cousins, 
thence. My father is pleased to have you as his 
guests at our evening meal.” 

Anise floundered in a sea of uncertainty, and 
could only say, in puzzled bewilderment: 
“ Your father? Uncle Sidney? I — we — ? ” 
Her uncle in the house of Namar’s father! 

What did it mean? What would Lucille and 

_ • 

Dick say? And they were invited to be the 
guests of Namar’s father! 

“ Perhaps it would be best if I explained a 
few matters,” he went on. He looked down 
upon her with eyes that glowed as from a light 
within, and she saw that in spite of his gravity, 
a tiny smile played about the corners of his 
mouth, revealing at times, a flash of pearly 
teeth. 

“ Mr. Lyman, your uncle, has brought much 
happiness to my father and me. He has done 
for us what no one else could do. It is a long 
story, one which I would rather tell later, since 
my father is awaiting impatiently your arrival. 
Will you tell the others, Lucille and Dick, so 
that we may depart at once? ” 


SUSPENSE 247 

Anise, listening in wonder, seemed unable to 
take her eyes from his face. It seemed almost 
too good to be true, that at last the mystery of 
Namar Harjad was to be revealed. She was 
impatient to learn more, eager to be assured 
that she had not been wrong in her estimate of 
the youth before her. 

“ Neither Dick nor Lucille is here, just now,” 
she told him, and wondered just what either 
would do or say, should they walk in and find 
him there. 

“ Then could not you and I leave word that 
we’ll send the car back for them? Since it is 
to you especially that my father wishes to ex¬ 
press his great appreciation. He is most eager 
to see you.” 

“ To see me? ” She regarded him in amaze¬ 
ment. “But how could he wish to see me, when 
I — there is no reason — ” 

“ But it was you, who — ” 

She did not notice that he had not finished his 
sentence. She heard Lucille’s voice outside, 
intermingled with Jerry Lafon’s deep bass, and 
knew that she must manage in some way to ex¬ 
plain to Lucille about the pin and Namar’s 
presence here, before Lucille entered the room. 




248 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

“ Will you excuse me, for just a moment, 
please? ” She did not wait for permission but 
sped across the room and out the door. 

Lucille must know at once that her pin had 
been found, and the reason for Namar’s pres¬ 
ence here. She was rather adept at making 
hurtful remarks, and considering that his mis¬ 
sion was one of such unusual good-will, and 
that he was overlooking entirely, Lucille’s and 
Dick’s treatment of him, in America, there must 
be no possibility of repeating their first offense 
against him. 

Jerry Lafon had lifted his hat and turned 
from the wide, arched doorway of the court¬ 
yard, when Anise called softly to Lucille, who 
still stood, slapping absently with the tip of 
her pink parasol at the leaves of a scrawny 
vine that clung half-heartedly to the stone wall. 

“ Well, Anise,” Lucille greeted her, “ you 
look as if you’d had a real thrill of some sort. 
Let me in on it.” 

“ It has been a thrill, Lucille, a real one! 
I found your sapphire pin. It was caught in 
the fringe of my Spanish shawl. You must 
have swung it about, maybe across the drawer, 
and in some manner, the pin clung.” 


SUSPENSE 


249 


“ Honest? That’s great! I did hate to lose 
that pin, or rather to feel that I was gypped out 
of it by one of these slick Eastern thieves. We 
rather did your beggar friend an injustice, 
didn’t we, blaming it on him? ” poking now 
with her parasol’s tip between the cobbled 
stones of the courtyard. “ Oh, well, he’ll never 
know the difference.” 

“ I hope not,” Anise returned, “ that’s why 
I hurried out. I wanted you to know about it, 
before you came in, because he’s in there now. 
It seems that Uncle Sidney befriended them in 
some way, and Namar’s father sent him here to 
bring us to their house to dine.” 

“To his house — to dine!” Lucille voice 
rose in shrill disbelief. 

Anise nodded. 

“ To Namar’s house? ” Lucille demanded, 
with sudden intensity, her eyes widening as she 
gazed earnestly at her cousin. 

Again Anise nodded. 

“ Where’s Dad? ” Lucille demanded, tersely. 

“ He’s there, now. At the house of Namar’s 
father,” Anise explained. 

“ Who said so?” 

“ Why Namar, of course! ” 


250 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


“ Oh, he did? ” 

“ Yes, and his father wants us to come, too. 
And he’s in a hurry, Lucille. Oh, I do wish 
Dick would come!” She peered impatiently 
through the arched gateway into the street, and 
looked first in one direction and then the other. 
“ He says his father’s impatient. He wants to 
see me about something. Namar wanted me 
to go on with him. He was going to send the 
car back for you and Dick, but I think it’ll be 
better if we all go together. And Dick ought 
to know about the pin, before he — ” 

“ And his father especially wants to see you, 
does he? ” Lucille interrupted. 

“ Yes. For some reason, but I can’t imagine 
why. He started to tell me, but I heard you 
talking, and I came out — ” 

“ And you were going to be simpleton enough 
to fall into their trap! ” 

“Trap? Why Lucille! What on earth do 
you mean? ” 

“ Mean ? I mean what I say. Don’t you see, 
that this is his coup d’ etat? He discovered that 
Dad was out. You know he was hanging 
around here, for Dick saw him pass. Later, he 
saw me go out and thought the coast was clear. 


SUSPENSE 251 

so he made up this cock-and-bull story to get 
you to leave with him. It’s just as Dick said! ” 

“ But, Lucille,” Anise protested, in a help¬ 
less voice. “ Don’t you understand? Your 
father is there now! ” 

“ Have you any proof? ” Lucille demanded. 
“ You’re merely taking this rogue’s word for 
it. I won’t say that he isn’t. It may be that 
they’ve got Dad, too.” 

“ Oh, Lucille! ” Anise threw out both hands 
in a helpless gesture. 

When would this dreadful farce come to an 
end! 

She turned with a sigh of relief toward the 
gateway where Dick had appeared. Perhaps, 
after all, she could make him understand. But 
when she saw that he was followed by two for¬ 
midable-looking policemen, her heart sank. 


CHAPTER XIX 


NEW COMPLICATIONS 

Both girls hurried toward him, but Anise 
had no chance to speak. She could merely 
stand by in a helpless silence, while Lucille 
poured forth, in an incoherent jumble of words, 
the story of the finding of the pin, and of 
Namar’s presence in the pension. Dick mo¬ 
tioned to the policemen to remain outside the 
courtyard, but Anise noted with relief that his 
eyes kept traveling from Lucille’s excited 
countenance toward the men outside, as though 
he pondered the wisdom of detaining them 
longer. 

“ And so, our friend, Xamar, didn’t get it, 
after all? ” Dick mused thoughtfully, then burst 
out, “ I don’t see why you girls couldn’t have 
searched better! You’ve put me in a pretty 
fix 1 ” He cast a sheepish eye toward the men 
outside. “ Now, I’ve got to tell them it’s all 
a mistake, and that our thief is really no thief 
at all.” 


252 


NEW COMPLICATIONS 253 

“ Well, he may not have taken the pin, but 
I'm sure he’s up to some mischief. Can’t you 
see, Dick, that his coming here, and trying to 
persuade Amise to go with him — ” 

“ His coming here? You mean, he’s here, 
now? ” Dick stared from one to the other. 

“ That’s what I tried to tell you,” she pouted. 
“ He’s in there now! ” with a nod toward the 
house. 

“ But can’t you understand, Dick? ” Anise 
put in, quickly. “ He says that Uncle Sidney 
has helped them in some way, and that Uncle 
Sidney is at their house, now, and that Namar’s 
father sent him to bring us there to dine! ” 

“ Say, what kind of a mess is this, anyway? 
You say, Namar’s here now, and wants us to 
go to his father’s house to dine! ” 

“ Yes! And he’s in a hurry. He said his 
father was impatient — that he has a special 
reason — ” 

“You surely don’t mean to swallow that, do 
you, Dick? ” Lucille demanded. “ Can’t you 
see, it’s just a trap? He tried to get Anise to 
leave with him, and said he’d send the car back 
for us. Who knows what he — ” 

Dick’s face was a picture of puzzled distress. 



254 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


He stood, nervously jingling together the coins 
in his trousers pockets. 

“ I can’t see that there’s anything to do,” he 
said, “ but go in and get some more light on 
the situation.” He nodded toward the house. 

“ But how are you going to know that he’s 
telling the truth? ” questioned Lucille. 

‘‘ Well, you know. Sis, that Dad did help 
some of these Syrians out of an awful mess with 
the French officials here. It sounds pretty 
straight to me — and yet — how are you going 
to account for this bird peddling stuff around 
New York, and waiting on tables, and crossing 
over on our boat, and following us to Marseilles, 
and turning up here like a beggar ? If they were 
wealthy, as all those Syrians were whom Dad 
was so interested in, he wouldn’t have needed to 
work his way through school. It looks decid¬ 
edly fishy, to me.” 

Anise laid a pleading hand on his arm. 
“Come in, and see him, Dick,” she begged. 
“You can’t look into his face without feeling 
that he’s all he claims to be.” 

Lucille laughed. “You and your faith in 
humanity. Anise! ” she jeered. 

“ But, Anise,” Dick protested, “ we can’t af- 



NEW COMPLICATIONS 255 

ford to take any chances of anything happening 
to you. It’s a well-known f act that the Moham¬ 
medans hate Christians. Look at all the massa¬ 
cres that have taken place, right in this town. 
Of course, I don’t mean he’d hurt you bodily, 
but, as Dora said, he might hold you for a ran¬ 
som. This fellow’s actions have been far too 
suspicious for me to put much trust in what he 
says. He may know of what Dad has done for 
some of these Syrians and be using his knowl¬ 
edge to play his own little game. As Lucille 
says, it may be a trap. I’ve heard too many 
tales about these lovers of Allah to put much 
faith in his kindly feelings toward a party of 
Christians.” His eyes wandered again to the 
policemen pacing up and down before the house. 

Tears stood in Anise’s eyes, and the corners 
of her mouth twitched pathetically. “ I’d 
rather run the risk, Dick,” she said, softly, 
“ than to hurt his feelings again. If he is all 
that he should be, which I firmly believe, you 
couldn’t expect him to forgive another insult. 
It was bad enough, the way you and Lucille 
treated him in America. And what will Uncle 
Sidney think? If he has really helped Namar’s 
father, he may have the best of reasons for want- 


256 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


ing to keep their friendship, especially since he 
is a Moslem. It may mean an understanding 
that might lead to undreamed-of results. Don’t 
do anything, Dick,” she begged, “ that you 
might be sorry for if you do find out he is all 
that he claims to be.” 

“ That’s just it. Anise, if he’s telling the 
truth, and there is a possibility that he is, we’ve 
already let ourselves in for eating a lot of 
humble pie after the way we treated him back 
home, and we can’t take any further chances of 
getting in Dutch with him again. On the other 
hand, as Lucille says, it looks pretty much like 
it’s nothing but a trap to catch a bunch of suck¬ 
ers, and hold them for a big ransom. It’s a 
dickens of a fix we’re in, and that’s all there is 
to it. I wish Dad were here!” He turned 
quickly to Lucille. “ Run in and ask Papa 
Petot if Dad left any word about where he was 
going. 

Lucille was gone like a flash, leaving Anise 
and Dick in an uncomfortable silence. She was 
back again in a moment. “ Cecile says that he 
was going to the military governor’s, and from 
there to the house of Hussein Kanaan, whoever 
he is. That lets our friend, Mr. Harjad, out! ” 


NEW COMPLICATIONS 257 

she exclaimed, with a triumphant glance at her 
cousin. 

Dick’s brooding eyes rested on Anise un¬ 
easily. “ Now, what do you make of that, 
Anise? ” 

‘‘ There must be some mistake. Perhaps he 
changed his mind.” 

“Well, I don’t see any way out of the situa¬ 
tion, but to pretend that we believe him,” Dick 
mused, thoughtfully, “ but I’ll speak to the men 
about following us in their Ford. If he does 
anything to arouse our suspicions. I’ll give them 
the signal to do their duty. And before I go in, 
and beg his pardon for our rudeness in America, 
I’m going to slip upstairs for my automatic. 
It might come in handy. Safety first is a pretty 
good motto in a burg like this. I’ll have to have 
mighty good proof, before I’m convinced that 
this Moslem Namar is really the friendly emis¬ 
sary he professes to be.” 

“ Well,” remarked Lucille, “ at any rate, I 
expect we’ll get a thrill out of it, if nothing else, 
and it’ll be something to write home about, if we 
come out alive. But be sure those police stick 
close behind us, Dick. I’m glad Dad stands in 
so well with the military governor. At least. 


258 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

we’ll have a chance of being rescued, if he 
should pull something crooked on us.” 

“ Don’t worry, I’ll — ” His sentence was 
not finished. 

Namar Harjad was coming toward them 
from the house. He was looking at a jeweled 
timepiece which he closed with a sharp snap, 
and replaced in his pocket. 

“ I’m sorry, if I seem to be in too much of a 
hurry, but — Could we not depart at once? ” 
His eyes rested now on Dick. “ Miss Decard 
has told you of my father’s request that you 
dine with us? ” 

Dick’s and Lucille’s eyes met in a look of 
uncertainty, then both returned the mild gaze 
of the Syrian youth. 

“ It is an honor we had scarcely expected,” 
Dick murmured, attempting to match the oth¬ 
er’s formal manner. “ Considering that — ” 

“ Life often has unexpected surprises in store 
for one,” Namar returned, politely. 

To Anise, his words proved his willingness to 
ignore their unhappy first meeting, but as they 
moved uncertainly toward the gateway, she 
heard Dick mutter to Lucille, “ Now what the 
dickens did he mean by that? ” And then he 



NEW COMPLICATIONS 259 

stopped short. Look here, Namar,” he said, 
“ I understood Anise to say that Dad was at 
your father’s house? ” 

“ Yes.” Namar turned, and Anise saw a 
little flash of impatience appear in his eyes. 

“ But they say here, that Dad left word he 
was going to the military governor’s, and from 
there to the house of Hussein Kanaan,” Dick 
countered. 

“ The house of Hussein Kanaan, is the house 
of my father,” Namar replied, and moved to¬ 
ward the gate. 

“ But I thought your name was Harjad? ” 

Anise saw that Dick’s eyes were alert with 
new suspicions. 

“ Harjad is the name that I used while in 
America. Will you not please come,” he urged, 
“ it will take so long to explain, and there is 
need to hurry. My father’s car is around the 
corner, in the next street. It is a bit hard to get 
through these narrow ways.” He led the way, 
seemingly unconscious of Dick’s reluctance to 
follow. 

Anise heard Lucille whisper to Dick. “ Of 
course he’s lying. You might have known he’d 
say that! Why didn’t you ask him his father’s 


260 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

name first? Oh, Dick, you’re so dumb!” 
Then she hurried ahead, to Namar’s side. 

“ Is it far to your home? ” she questioned, in 
her politest tone. 

“ At the edge of the city. My father loves 
a spacious setting.” 

‘‘ Then I’ll take the front seat beside you, if 
no one objects, and let Anise and Dick enjoy 
the bumps.” She hurried toward the Rolls- 
Royce, around which a group of street urchins 
were clustered. 

A little thrill of pleasure shot through Anise, 
at Lucille’s daring. She saw through her 
cousin’s move, a determination to shield her, 
so far as possible. She meant that if anything 
should happen, Dick should be close to her, so 
as to protect her so far as lay in his power. It 
was one of Lucille’s most lovable traits. 
Though she seemed always ready to mock at 
any show of affection. Anise knew that under¬ 
neath her lightness lay a depth of feeling that 
few who knew her guessed at. Now. Anise was 
having full proof of the strength of Lucille’s 
feelings toward her. 

It was a shrill-voiced crowd of youths who 
clustered about the big car that awaited Namar 


NEW COMPLICATIONS 261 

and his party. Under cover of their chatter 
and shrill protests at being urged off the run¬ 
ning-boards, Dick whispered to Anise: 

“ It’s worse than I thought. I bet he heard 
everything we said there in the courtyard. He 
came out just so I couldn’t have a chance to get 
my automatic or to give any orders to those 
policemen. He surely must have seen them 
from the window. Did you notice how they 
melted away when they saw us come out? And 
he said their house was on the edge of town. 
That’s so they’ll have a chance to make a clean 
getaway across the desert.” 

“ Please, Dick — ” she begged, “ try to be¬ 
lieve that we’re perfectly safe. I’m sure things 
will come out right.” 

Dick’s gloom did not lift. It was a silent 
party in the luxurious big car, that threaded in 
and out the maze of narrow streets. In spite 
of her preoccupation with conjectures as to 
what lay before them. Anise could not help 
but note the anxious glances of Dick as he 
scanned the crowds on either side of them as 
they moved along. If the car slowed for a mo¬ 
ment, in the thickest of the throng, he sat tense, 
every nerve alert for the slightest indication of 


262 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

danger. She became conscious of the un¬ 
natural tension that existed between them. 
Were Dick and Lucille right, after all? If so, 
and harm should come to them, then she would 
be responsible. The thought was like a dash of 
cold water. 

She realized now, more fully than at any time 
since Namar had come into her life, that she had 
been influenced in her attitude toward him, more 
because of her determination to win the respect 
of her cousins, than through any special desire 
for his friendship. True, both the mystery of 
his birth as well as his actions, did hold a certain 
appeal for her to say nothing of the sympathy 
he aroused in her because of his apparently 
destitute condition. 

But it was principally her desire to prove her¬ 
self right, that had led to their present predica¬ 
ment, and what if harm came to them now, 
through her stubborn determination to set them 
in the wrong? It was a dreadful thought, and 
she tried to put it from her, but she realized now 
with a sinking heart, that it was more probable 
that they were right than that she was. Cer¬ 
tainly they had plenty of foundation for their 
mistrust of him, for she had learned since com- 


NEW COMPLICATIONS 263 

ing here of the great gulf that lay between the 
minds of the Orientals and the Occidentals. 
She had heard, too, many tales of barbaric cru¬ 
elty among the races that congested this part of 
the globe, and she knew that their mild exteri¬ 
ors and gallant bearing often masked a hard¬ 
ness that is rarely found among the people of 
her own land. She had learned, too, of their 
fanatical devotion to their own religious creeds, 
and the intensity of their hatred of those of 
opposing beliefs. 

Perhaps it was this knowledge that was in 
a way responsible for the feeling which now 
filled her, that, somehow, she was not entirely 
responsible for what was to come; that in some 
way this adventure was to involve certain great 
forces which would reflect their mingled power 
on each member of their party. What these 
forces were, she did not know. She could not 
have put her vague thoughts into words, had 
she tried. It was merely a sensing of some com¬ 
ing dramatic climax in the life of each of them. 

Now, especially, did the air seem charged 
with portent. Looking backward, over the 
events that had led to their journey to this 
heretofore unknown land, it seemed to her that 


264 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

some unknown force had directed matters to 
this as yet unknown climax; as though an invisi¬ 
ble hand had drawn the strings to make each of 
them perform his will in the drama he had chosen 
for them. 

So busy was she with her thoughts that she 
did not notice Dick’s increasing gloom. She sat 
up with a little start of surprise when the car 
slowed down before a great iron-studded door, 
set in a long, white, stone wall. She knew that, 
like most of the walls and buildings in the East, 
there was no judging from the exterior what the 
interior held; whether it might be the home of 
poverty or wealth. 

Her eyes traveled anxiously along the white 
wall and lingered apprehensively over the for¬ 
midable iron-studded door. A hasty glance at 
the faces of Lucille and Dick in no way reas¬ 
sured her. In a sudden panic, she stood up in 
the car, scarcely knowing what she meant to do, 
determined though, in some way, to protect her 
cousins from the results of her stubborn belief 
in one whom she now realized was utterly dif¬ 
ferent from any one she had ever known and 
therefore as utterly unfathomable. She tried 
to call out, but somehow her voice failed her, 


NEW COMPLICATIONS 265 

but as Dick caught her arm and pulled her 
down into the seat, muttering: “You can’t see 
over that wall,” she caught a glimpse of a row 
of tall silver poplars which grew on the other 
side of the long, white wall. 

Silver poplars! 

The sight of them was like a breath of home. 
Silver poplars! It must surely be a good omen. 
Always the sight of silver poplars brought back 
the memory of those that grew along the road¬ 
side before Aunt Letty’s farmhouse. They 
represented security. Their fluttering leaves, 
she had been wont to liken to the fluttering fans 
of geisha girls. Now, they seemed to have 
taken on a new quality. Like the minarets of 
the many mosques of the city, they seemed to 
point with a purpose into the serene blue of the 
heavens. 

Determinedly suppressing the hysteria that 
for a moment had taken possession of her, she 
followed Dick from the car. She saw that his 
scowl had deepened, and that Lucille was pre¬ 
tending a nonchalant air that was difficult to re¬ 
tain. She sensed acutely their uneasiness, 
though her own had in a measure disappeared. 
She knew that both were wondering what ex- 


266 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


periences awaited them beyond that white wall 
and heavy door. 

She saw, too, that Namar seemed anxious and 
ill at ease, as he came around the front of the 
car toward them. He looked from one to the 
other, with a swift, inquiring look, as though 
trying in that brief second, to read the thoughts 
of each. Then he moved toward the heavy door. 


CHAPTER XX 


IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 

Before he could reach it, however, it was flung 
open, and with a laugh, tremulous with e;xcite- 
ment, a girl of about twelve, flung herself upon 
him. 

“ And now, my brother, that you have made 
me miss my train for Beirut, I suppose you are 
very happy!” She half pouted and half 
laughed up at him. 

“ Ah, Haidee! ” His laugh was one of no¬ 
ticeable relief. “ I might have known you were 
only teasing, when you said you meant to re¬ 
turn to the school to-day! And I have hurried 
our guests in the most unseemly manner for fear 
you might be gone before we got here! ” His 
air of anxiety had fallen completely from him, 
and again and again his flashing smile broke 
forth. 

She laughed delightedly. “You speak as 
though they would sorrow much, were I not 
here! Now, if it were you, my brother, who had 

267 


268 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

departed, they might grieve! ” She gazed 
roguishly up at him. 

He laid a gentle hand over her full red lips. 

Your tongue is too pert, at times, Haidee. 
Come, we forget our guests. Surely you wish 
to thank Miss Anise — ” 

“ Then you are pleased with Haidee, Namar, 
for remaining until to-morrow? ” Her heavy 
lashes lifted, and adoring, velvety eyes scanned 
his face. 

“ Yes, my sister.” His arm about her, he 
turned now to Anise. “ You remember, I pre¬ 
sume, your meeting with her in the Mission 
School at Beirut? It is to you, especially, that 
my father and I wish to extend our thanks, for 
through you we were able to find our little 
Haidee. But come, let us go into the garden.” 

Through the opened gateway. Anise had 
caught a vista of beauty that left her speechless. 
As the heavy garden door closed behind them, 
it seemed to her to have shut out all of the world 
she had known. Before her lay a scene of en¬ 
chantment, such as must have existed in the 
days of the Arabian Nights, and she seemed in 
some mysterious fashion to have become one of 
the characters out of those fascinating legends 



IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 269 

of her childhood. Little Haidee, at the Mission 
School, the sister of Namar! Namar, the 
friendless youth of her few college days, a beg¬ 
gar on the streets of Damascus, turning into 
an Eastern grandee before her eyes! She 
sought among her thoughts for the connecting 
link, but it evaded her. Her senses were lulled 
to inaction, by the enchanting environment in 
which she found herself. 

Lucille and Dick, too, seemed to have fallen 
completely under the spell of the beauty that 
lay about them, for they followed Anise and 
Namar in a sort of breathless silence. 

The farther reaches of the white expanse of 
garden walls were broken by varying shades of 
green; tall sunlit palms merged their brilliance 
into the silvery green of olives, while the dull 
green of eucalyptus and cypress overshadowed 
the duller shades of mulberry and chestnut. 
Heavy purple blossoms of bougainvillsea hung 
from the vines that clung to the pillars of the 
loggia of the house, that enclosed a marble- 
paved courtyard, in the midst of which a foun¬ 
tain flung upward thin sprays of silvery water 
that caught the last of the sun’s rays and turned 
it into a rainbow-hued cascade. Over all, hung 


270 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the mingled perfume of jasmine, gardenias, 
and the many roses that grew about. 

Anise would have been content to stand in 
silence and luxuriate in the beauty about her, 
but she longed for the explanations that would 
ease the situation for Lucille and Dick. Both 
wore a strained, unhappy expression, as they 
stared about, as though they were reluctant to 
credit the seeming safety that was so apparent 
to Anise. 

Haidee had flashed ahead of them and disap¬ 
peared beyond the columns of the loggia. Now, 
with the swiftness of a gazelle, she was fly¬ 
ing toward them, her long, dark hair, and 
her short, pink skirt, flaring out in the little 
breeze she created. She stopped before Anise, 
breathless. 

“ It is the blue beads! ” she exclaimed, as she 
held them out to her. “ I give them to you, 
again. Now, I do not need them, for no longer 
do I fear the evil-eye. I am now Christian! ” 
She laid in Anise’s hands, the string of lapis 
lazuli beads which had been her Aunt Della’s 
parting gift. 

“ But I gave them to you! ” protested Anise. 
“ I wanted you to have them.” 


IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 271 

“ Yes, but I could not wear them again, for 
others would think that I still feared the evil- 
eye!” 

“ Then if you will not keep my gift, I must 
return to you your piece of tapestry.” 

“No — No!” insisted Haidee. “It was 
the tapestry that led Namar to the school. The 
tapestry and your kindness to my brother. You 
see, I have been most wicked. Malka died, and 
Namar was gone, and my father in the prison, 
I would not tell them at the school about me, 
for I did not want to grow up to be like the 
women of our country. Me, I do not want to 
wear the veil — to cover up my mouth and my 
nose. I want to be like the women of the Ameri¬ 
can school. They are different.” She looked 
down at her very American dress, and smoothed 
it lovingly. “ I do not want to look like two 
black bags, tied with a piece of string about my 
middle! I begged them to keep me, and I 
learned to work. I can cook — and lay the 
plates — and — ” 

“ I fear, Haidee, that your explanations are 
not very clear,” Namar interposed. “ Run 
now, and tell our father that his guests have 
arrived, and I will tell them of the wonderful 


272 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

things that have come to pass for us, the last 
few days.” 

Again she lifted velvety, adoring eyes to her 
brother. “ Yes, I know, you can explain much 
better. I will run and tell our father — ” and 
she sped away, across the path of golden sand, 
up the marble steps, and down the length of the 
mosaic-paved loggia. 

Namar’s eyes followed her until she had dis¬ 
appeared, then he said, softly. “ She loves so 
much the Mission School. She was glad, of 
course, to come home, when she knew that our 
father was safe, but she had begged to be al¬ 
lowed to return to-day to the school, and my 
father had consented.” 

He turned now, toward Dick. “ It was but 
a little while ago that we learned through a 
friend, that it was your father who had inter¬ 
ceded with the authorities to have my father’s 
possessions restored to him, and his sentence 
cancelled. My father sent me to the governor’s 
mansion, where the friend said your father was 
in conference. I learned that he was already 
on the way to my father’s house, and so I went 
then to your hotel for you, as my father had di¬ 
rected me to do. I fear you thought my haste a 


IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 273 

bit strange, but I was anxious that we return 
before Haidee left. I did not know that she 
meant to tease. I believed that she intended to 
leave this evening, since she insisted that she 
would not stay another day away from the 
school. You can see that even Syrian children 
like to have their own way, though Haidee has 
been humored more than most. It is because 
our mother died at her birth and she has never 
had a mother’s love that we feel so tenderly to¬ 
ward her.” 

There was a flash of his gleaming teeth, and 
his eyes twinkled with sudden amusement. 

“ I fear my explanations are almost as in¬ 
scrutable, would you say, as Haidee’s. I had 
better begin at the beginning.” 

Anise and Lucille had seated themselves on 
a low marble bench, but Dick leaned against the 
rim of the fountain, trailing one forefinger ab¬ 
sently along the water’s edge. 

“ As you see,” Namar lifted a hand in the 
direction of the white stone buildings, about 
them, “ this is our home; has been ever since I 
can remember. My father, however, has always 
held the English in very high esteem, and so, 
after I had mastered the Koran, and a bit of 


274 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

law and philosophy, I was sent to England to 
complete my education. I did not like it there. 
America was to me the land of attainment. I 
had heard so much of the American school in 
Beirut, but my father had no faith in it. He 
had heard many things of America which did 
not please him. Many times, on my visits home 
did we converse on the subject. I tried to per¬ 
suade him to send me there, but never would he 
consent. Back to England I was sent each time. 
But the lure was too strong. I had heard so 
much that I must know more. My father was 
very generous. He supplied me lavishly with 
funds. And so, I ran away, without telling him 
of my intention. I borrowed the name, Har j ad, 
of a friend who had been most kind to me in 
New York. Contrary to the general belief, 
you can see that even in Syria, youth sometimes 
revolts against the authority of honored par¬ 
ents. I meant to take no chances of his finding 
me. I wanted to study America, to learn — 
but that has little to do with my narrative. I of 
course, knew nothing of what was taking place 
here, since it had been several years since I had 
had any news from home. It was at the time 
of your own departure, that a letter came to me 


IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 275 

from my Syrian friend in New York, telling of 
the political situation here, how my father had 
refused to be ruled by the new officials who had 
been put in charge after France had been given 
mandatory power over Syria. When I learned 
of my father’s arrest, and the confiscation of 
his property, I knew not what to do. I had no 
money for passage home, and could not bor¬ 
row, since I had no assurance that I could return 
a loan. And so I decided to hum my way home, 
as you Americans would say.” 

He paused for breath, and stood silently for 
a moment with his eyes fixed on the bit of blue 
sky that showed between two tall cypresses at 
one end of the garden. 

Anise and Lucille sat, with their eyes on him. 
Neither stirred, though on both lay an expres¬ 
sion of eager anticipation. Dick was the only 
one who appeared restless. His forefinger 
splashed backward and forward through the 
rainbow-hued cascade, but he did not look at 
Namar, though Namar was watching him. 

“ There is little more to tell. As you 
know, I came across on the ship which brought 
you to England. From there I worked my way 
to France, and on toward home, tarrying just 


276 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


long enough at each place to earn a bit of food. 
One way and another, I managed to get here.” 

He smiled now, at Anise. “ A pretty figure 
you must have thought me! In Beirut I was 
knocked in the head and my clothes were stolen 
while I slept, but my assailant very kindly left 
me his own apparel. It was not very becoming, 
but at least it was something.” Again his smile 
flashed forth, but gave way immediately to his 
former gravity. 

“You can imagine my feelings when I dis¬ 
covered that the friends who I had been hoping 
would assist in releasing my father were all in 
the same predicament. I was not permitted to 
see my father, and so I had no way of knowing 
what had become of Haidee. I met one of our 
former servants who said that old Malka had 
taken Haidee to relatives in Teheran. You can 
imagine my distress — a child of Haidee’s years 
and an old woman making the long dangerous 
journey to Teheran. Allah, you know, takes 
no thought of women, nor does any one in this 
country of mine.” 

He turned now, to Anise, and his voice, quiv¬ 
ering with emotion, had sunk to a whisper. “ Is 
it any wonder, that I lost my faith in Allah? ” 



IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 277 

With a little catch of his breath, he went on. 
“ My early years in England and my later ones 
in America had taught me many things about 
the women of other lands. It made me realize 
that our own ought to be guarded as carefully, 
loved as much, yet given the same freedom — 
the freedom that makes for greater good. For 
have not the women of other lands, especially 
the American women, contributed their share 
to the growth of their country? One cannot 
read of those early women who fought the hard¬ 
ships of a wild, new country, who helped to plant 
and plow, to fighF off savages, disease, and 
death, single-handed, without a feeling of great 
reverence and awe. Our own have been but 
chattels, hampered by the restrictions placed 
upon them by Mohammed and the men of their 
family.” 

He smiled again, upon the two girls, regard¬ 
ing him so earnestly. “ Like Haidee, I wander 
from the course of my narrative. As I said 
before, it was you. Miss Decard, who led me to 
find Haidee. When you lingered over that 
rug in the bazaar that day, and said that its pat¬ 
tern was like a piece of tapestry given to you 
by a child in the Mission school, it set me to 


278 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


thinking, for I knew that that pattern was a 
very rare one, and that only a few copies had 
been made from the original. In our home, 
the women had woven a tapestry in the pattern 
of the prayer rug. It was considered some¬ 
thing of a treasure, because of its perfect work¬ 
manship. No doubt, old Malka had snatched 
it up, when they left. It was the first hint I 
had had, that Haidee might be alive. I did 
not believe that either she or Malka could have 
reached Teheran. As you know, I found her 
at the Mission School. Malka had given them 
the money my father had given to her for their 
journey to Teheran, but she died of fever with¬ 
out telling them anything of Haidee. I know 
not why Malka took her there, unless she, too, 
had turned Christian.” 

He looked away, again, toward the cy¬ 
presses, but Anise noted that as in the pension, 
his face seemed suffused as from a light within. 

“ Do you mean, Namar,” she said softly, 
“ that you, too — have turned — Christian? ” 

“ Yes,” he returned, in the same soft voice, 
“ my father and I have learned that there is 
but one God — the God of the Christians. He 
has kept our little Haidee safe, and brought us 


IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 279 

together again. He has given to us a better 
understanding of each other and of many 
things. He has given to us friends, who for 
centuries we have thought were our enemies. 
There is only one God.” 

Anise sat with tightly clasped hands, unable 
to take her eyes off the glowing countenance of 
the Syrian youth. 

Silence descended over the little group, 
broken only by the tinkle of bells, and the calls 
of vendors in the street beyond. 

Anise had noted during Namar’s recital that 
Dick’s face was suffused with color, and that 
he cast furtive glances at the youth as though 
unwilling to credit what he heard. 

Now, he strode forward, with extended hand, 
his eyes bright with an emotion Anise had never 
seen there before. 

“ It’s hardly to be expected, Namar, that you 
can forgive my treatment of you — in America 
— but I am sorry. I’ll admit I had you all 
wrong.” 

Namar took the proffered hand, and bent 
over it with one of his quick, flashing smiles. 

“ I’m not so sure of that,” he returned. ‘‘ I 
think you had me — all right! ” 



280 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


Both broke into a laugh, that eased the tense¬ 
ness of the situation somewhat. 

‘‘You see, I could not blame you for your 
treatment of me, though in a way, I did think 
it unusual for Americans. The people of my 
land have always been very particular in their 
choice of guests. To us, the home is very sacred. 
Only those whom we especially love, do we in¬ 
vite to share with us its sacredness. I knew 
that, to you, I meant nothing.” 

“ Oh, not exactly that,” Dick protested. 
“ You see, Lucille and I had rather a good 
opinion of our own importance. The truth 
is, we were positively rude. I hope you won’t 
judge the rest of Americans by the sample you 
see before you.” He looked ruefully toward 
Lucille, who had turned her back upon them 
and was bending over a half-blown rose. 

“ I have just been thinking,” Namar inter¬ 
posed, “ that somehow, to me, you three, seem 
very typical of your country.” 

“ Typical? Then you couldn’t have a very 
high opinion of America? ” 

“ On the contrary, yes. To me, you seem like 
America’s great strength.” His eyes traveled 
over Dick’s splendid figure. “ But like Amer- 


IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 281 

ica, you, too, seem to understand that great 
strength alone is not the prime factor in life.’’ 

“ I’m afraid I’ve come mighty close to think¬ 
ing just that,” Dick returned. “ If you could 
have heard me boasting, a while back — But I 
have learned that physical strength is not every¬ 
thing.” 

Namar’s understanding smile, moved from 
Dick to Lucille, who still hung over the roses. 

“ Your sister — ” 

At his words, Lucille whirled about, and 
Anise saw that she had been battling, not very 
successfully, with tears, for her lashes showed 
a gleam of moisture on their curling ends. 

“ — is like America’s great vitality. Her 
joy in living — her eagerness to experiment 
with the newest in every line of action, is one 
of America’s most appealing characteristics.” 

With a swift movement Lucille was before 
him, with both hands outstretched. “ I do not 
deserve your compliments, Namar! But I 
mean to, in the future. At least. I’ll never be 
rude again to any one, and as for experiment¬ 
ing in new fields — if it hadn’t been for Anise, 
here, and Dad, I’d have missed the most impres¬ 
sive — and delightful experience that any one 







282 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

could have.” Her shamed eyes wandered be¬ 
yond Namar and about the exotic garden. She 
turned away then, and leaned beside Dick 
against the fountain’s rim. 

“ I am glad if you find pleasure in knowing 
us, and I assure you that it is mutual,” Namar 
murmured, and then turned to Anise. “ Miss 
Decard, I think, is like the soul of America. 
She sees beneath the many misleading traits of 
her neighbors, and divines the good that often 
lies buried too deep for the observation of most. 
Like the heart and soul of her country, she is, 
extending to the most unfortunate the gift of 
her friendliness and interest.” 

“ Oh, no! ” Anise protested, very much em¬ 
barrassed at his earnestness, “ I’m not like that. 
What I have done has been very indirect 
service.” She must not let him think — but 
how could she explain the real reason for her 
interest in him? She stammered miserably, 
“ I did believe — I would have liked to help 
you — but — but— You seemed so proud — 
and —and — ” 

He seemed to sense the cause of her embar¬ 
rassment and said hastily, “ Your friendliness 
to me was of more value than any material help. 



f f 


“Miss Decard, I think, is like the soul of America 

Page 282 . 















L 





IN A SYRIAN GARDEN 283 

especially as I knew I had no right to it. But 
surely you understand how impossible it was 
for me to tell you anything of myself while in 
America. I could take no chances of my father 
locating me. But your friendliness led — ” 
There was the sound of running feet, a flash 
of pink, and Haidee was again in their midst. 
“ I could not interrupt our father, while he was 
talking with his guests,” she panted. “ Such 
lovely big words, they spoke! I stayed to listen, 
and almost forgot that you were waiting. 
Come, quick, now! It is time, almost, for our 
evening meal! ” 


CHAPTER XXI 


A DREAMER OF DREAMS 

If the garden of Namar’s home had seemed to 
Anise a copy of one out of the Arabian Nights, 
the interior of the white stone building added 
even more to the impression. The dome¬ 
shaped, high-ceilinged rooms, with their ar¬ 
abesque decorations; the beautifully carved 
woodwork; the hangings of rich tapestries and 
silk; the rare Persian rugs, so luxurious in ap¬ 
pearance that it seemed a desecration to step 
upon them, even though they had left their 
shoes outside, — the custom in the East; the 
long, low divans, heaped high with an exotic 
array of cushions and drapes, all seemed but 
part of the fantastic pattern of a dream — a 
dream that took her back to the days of Aladdin 
and the wonderful lamp. 

And like characters in a dream, the silent¬ 
footed servants in their garments of purest 
white, embroidered in gold, moved about, bear¬ 
ing great bowls and trays of carved brass and 

284 



A DREAMER OF DREAMS 285 


copper, agate and crystal ware, inlaid with sil¬ 
ver. And over all, lay the glamour of various 
shades of color, from the light which shone 
through the colored glass windows and was re¬ 
flected in the low-hung lamps of ruby crystal 
and brass. 

There was little opportunity for conversation, 
once the formalities of introductions were over, 
for there were other guests beside Mr. Lyman, 
and themselves — grave-faced, gentle-voiced 
men in the long coats and trousers of the Syrian. 

In a voice of exceeding gentleness, Namar’s 
father acknowledged the introductions, his 
faint smile lingering longest on Anise, who 
stood a little behind Lucille. 

“ My Namar has spoken to me of your kind¬ 
ness to him. It is my wish that you know, that 
I, too, appreciate what you have done for him 
and our little Haidee.” 

She murmured a protest, as she had done to 
Namar, that the little she had done had been 
indirect service. 

He smiled again upon her, then turned to 
those about him and began conversing in a voice 
too low for Anise to hear. 

She was content to sit among her cushions 



286 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

and marvel at the beauty about her, at the 
strange customs of these people who had ac¬ 
cepted them among their dearest friends, and 
at the endless succession of tempting courses: 
of fowl, meats, fruits, vegetables, sweets and 
pastries of all kinds. 

She saw that Dick and Lucille, too, were 
reveling in this unusual experience, and that 
quite frequently their gaze traveled toward the 
very dignified Namar, as though even now they 
found it hard to reconcile their former opinion 
of him with the proof that now lay before them. 

Later, she noted that Lucille had edged 
nearer to Namar, and that they were conversing 
in low tones. She had no intention of listening, 
but when their voices rose to a slightly higher 
pitch, it was impossible to avoid hearing what 
they said. 

“ It’s all very well for you to make excuses 
for us, but really, Namar, I’ll never be able to 
live down that experience. When I think of 
how we treated you that night, I can’t under¬ 
stand how you can be so forgiving. You’ve 
surely heaped coals of fire upon our heads.” 

“ It was but a misunderstanding. As I said 
before, I could not really blame you, though I 


A DREAMER OF DREAMS 287 

knew that customs in America were far differ¬ 
ent from those of my own country. I under¬ 
stood, too, that though there are no class dis¬ 
tinctions in America, in some ways, they are 
far more particular in others than in many 
countries. One must, as you say, ‘ speak the 
same language ’; that is, there must be a sort 
of invisible something that makes certain 
cliques desire the friendship of others who 
have that peculiar quality. It is not always 
wealth, neither is it learning, neither is it birth, 
though all those things have some bearing upon 
it.” 

There was admiration in Lucille’s voice as 
she said: “ You’ve hit it pretty clearly, Namar, 
but still your reasoning doesn’t excuse us. Of 
course we all know what utterly idiotic things 
college boys and girls will do, but — We were 
just what Anise said we were, the night we 
railroaded you out of the house. We were 
snobs, though we didn’t know it, then.” 

“ Not at all, not at all,” he objected. “ You 
were certainly within your rights.” 

Lucille continued. “We didn’t know quite 
a number of things then that we’ve learned of 
late. I suppose Anise has influenced us some. 


288 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

She has such a different way of looking at 
things.” 

“ She has, indeed,” he murmured. 

“ After all,” Lucille went on, “ it’s more the 
fault of the way we were raised, I suppose. Liv¬ 
ing in hotels and summer resorts, we’ve met only 
the superficial kind of people — the kind who 
see only what lies before their eyes. Anise seems 
to have learned to look into people, rather than 
upon them. I don’t believe any of our crowd 
realized how dreadfully we were behaving. We 
didn’t even stop to consider how you might be 
hurt. And Dick and I were merely peeved be¬ 
cause Anise had chosen a friend who we thought 
did not fit in with our own crowds.” 

“ I can see that, quite clearly,” he said, “ but 
let us think no more about it. My father and I 
shall always feel indebted to you all. Had it 
not been for your actions that night. Anise 
would not have been called upon to defend me 
so valiantly, and things might have turned out 
quite differently.” 

“ It’s generous of you to say that, Namar, but 
we don’t deserve it.” 

“ Then let us put it from us, as we might a 
bad dream, since now we mean to be friends.” 


A DREAMER OF DREAMS 289 

When the meal had ended, and they moved to¬ 
ward one of the rooms, whence came the seduc¬ 
tive sounds of a native orchestra, Namar mur¬ 
mured to Anise. “ Let us go into the garden. 
There are things I would say to you, alone.” 

She saw that Dick, beside his father, was 
listening interestedly to the conversation of 
the men about them, and through the great 
carved doorway of the room beyond, Lucille 
was down among the cushions on the floor be¬ 
fore a basket of Persian kittens Haidee had 
brought in. 

And so she walked beside him, out into the 
garden. The shrubbery along the walls was now 
wrapped in a misty darkness. The courtyard 
with its marble paving and sparkling fountain 
threw off a gleam that blended with the radiance 
of the crescent moon and myriad stars overhead. 
It was a night such as dreams are made of, an 
illusive, intangible beauty that penetrates the 
heart, yet leaves nothing but a memory. Anise, 
under its spell, could find no words, but she 
knew that always would she remember the ach¬ 
ing loveliness of this Syrian garden. 

Namar motioned her to a low seat near a 
rose-covered trellis. He sat beside her and 


290 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

tkough his features were indistinguishable 
against the dark background of the vines, she 
seemed to feel his gentle gaze upon her, and 
see his quiet smile, as he turned toward her and 
said: “ When I said that, to me, you are like 
the soul of America, I did not say all that was 
in my thoughts. Much as I admire your 
cousins, it is you who will forever hold my last¬ 
ing esteem and gratitude. In the muddle of 
conflicting experiences to which I was subjected 
in America, you seemed like a beacon — a guid¬ 
ing star that led me out of the maze of strange 
ways and strange beliefs, to a clear vision — a 
vision that meant the renunciation of the faith of 
my people. When I said that I had become 
Christian, when I knew that Haidee was safe, I 
did not mean it was that, alone, which had 
changed me. It was, as you might say, the cul¬ 
minating factor.’’ 

She sat quiet, her eyes upon him. His voice 
seemed to blend into the soft strains of the 
music that came to them from the house. She - 
had a feeling that this was after all, a dream, for 
she was certain that she had done nothing to de¬ 
serve such confidences as he was pouring out to 
her. If he knew the real motive back of her in- 


A DREAMER OF DREAMS 291 

terest in him, would he think as he did, of her? 
But she couldn’t shatter this beautiful dream. 
It was too perfect. She was reveling in each 
moment she lived in this enchanting place, stor¬ 
ing in her mind each detail of the evening’s 
events, so that she might remember it always. 

It was with difficulty that she focused her at¬ 
tention on what he was saying. 

“ In my country, as you must know, a boy is 
considered mature, much younger than in yours. 
I have listened much to those who were older and 
wiser, and seeing the difference in your country 
and mine, has opened my eyes to many things. 

“ Syria, as you know, is a great highway of 
civilization. It is composed of various tribes 
who have never united. Unlike your country, 
these tribes have not learned that, ‘ in unity there 
is strength ’. For centuries, it has lain between 
rival powers, subject to first one empire, and 
then another, and as you know, it is now under 
mandate of France. As I have said, I have 
listened much, read much, and pondered more. 
I have talked with people of many different na¬ 
tions. I have looked into the homes of the hum¬ 
blest and the wealthiest, seeking there the 
remedy for my people. So many conflicting im- 


292 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

pressions, for a time, muddled my perceptions, 
but now, thanks to my stay in your country, and 
to such people as you, and your uncle, I have 
come to the conclusion, that the only hope of 
my country lies — in Christianity.” 

His voice was deep with emotion. “ Does it 
not seem sad, even to you, that we, one of the 
oldest races on earth, belonging to this land that 
was the cradle of knowledge — that we should 
have to travel west, to have that knowledge re¬ 
interpreted for us? ” 

“ Yes,” murmured Anise, profoundly stirred 
now by the seriousness of his words, “ but you 
must remember that even though we do this 
for you, it is to you — your land, and your 
people, that we owe our most sacred traditions. 
Who knows but that it may be God’s plan, for 
welding the nations into a common bond, bring¬ 
ing us nearer, into closer — ” Her voice 
trembled with earnestness, and she broke off 
abruptly. 

“ I had not thought of that,” a little note of 
joy in his voice. “ But I shall remember your 
words. I have thought only of the stupidity 
of my own people, and their leaders, and of how 
I might be of help in making them realize 




A DREAMER OF DREAMS 293 

wherein lies their deliverance. Yet even now, 
they have come to accept many of the Western 
ideas. And thanks to men like your uncle, a 
way is being opened for their economic deliv¬ 
erance. With the new irrigation schemes, and 
the development of our mineral lands, many 
changes will take place.” 

He arose with a sigh. “ But I do not mean 
to burden you with the woes of my country. 
I want only to let you know how near my heart 
lies its future, and how very much I long to help 
my people, to teach them the futility of their 
age-old superstitions — such things as blue 
beads and charms to ward off the ‘ evil-eye ’. 
Yet especially do I want to assure you of how 
much I appreciate your belief in me. I know 
that many of your land would not trust — a 
Moslem.” 

Now, of course, was the moment for her to 
disillusion him. She could not let him continue 
to believe that she deserved his praise. She was 
not the very ideal person he believed her to be. 
But the words would not come, and it was with 
a great sense of relief that she saw Dick, Lucille, 
and Haidee strolling toward them. Lucille’s 
arm was about the little Syrian girl and Anise 



294 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

could see in the moonlight, that again and again, 
Haidee lifted an eager admiring countenance 
to the older girl. 

Dick must have overheard part of Namar’s 
words, for he said, as he stopped before them, 
“You tell the truth, Namar, when you say that 
many of our land would not trust a Moslem. 
There’s something more that you ought to know 
about us, but after the way you’ve forgiven us, 
so generously, I hesitate to say it, but I feel that 
Anise deserves especial credit for the way she 
has stood up for you.” 

And he told in detail of Dora’s letter, of his 
and Lucille’s suspicions when they discovered 
he was on their ship, of how their suspicions 
seemed confirmed when they met him in Paris 
and again in Marseilles, and of the apparent 
proof that he was up to something, when they 
learned he had been working about the pension. 

Namar had listened in silence, to Dick’s long 
story. 

“ It was because I was so desperate. I was 
penniless — it was hard to ask favors — ” 

“ I can understand that, now,” returned 
Dick, “ but then — ” 

He told of the missing pin and how they 



A DREAMER OF DREAMS 295 

were certain he had taken it, the day Anise had 
showed him the tapestry, and of how, until the 
moment when they had stopped before his 
house, and Haidee had appeared, they still held 
to their early suspicions. 

N amar’s laugh was good to hear. “You had 
me painted even blacker than I thought! Yet, 
one could hardly blame you. And so. Miss 
Decard held out for me, in spite of such over¬ 
whelming evidence? ” 

“ I’ll say she did! ” Dick returned. 

“ I had no idea that I could have been caus¬ 
ing such discord among you. I am exceedingly 
sorry. But now, I’m sure there will no longer 
be such serious differences of opinion among 
you.” 

Anise moved uneasily. Now she must speak! 
She must tell him, but instead, she said, “ Why 
did you not tell me about your father that day, 
in the bazaars ? It would have cleared the mys¬ 
tery concerning you. ” 

He looked down upon her a moment in si¬ 
lence. “ Why should I think that you would 
care about the troubles of one who was not even 
of your own faith ? You had been kind, I know 
— but that was no reason for burdening you 


296 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

with my own afflictions.” All the haughty pride 
of an old, old race was in his bearing, only his 
words reflected the new softness that had of 
late come to dwell within him. “ I had been 
taught so many unjust things regarding Chris¬ 
tians. Why should I go to them for help ? But 
they have done for me things that my own 
people could never do! They have taught me 
the way of salvation for myself, and others.” 

Lucille was staring thoughtfully, at her 
cousin. 

“Yes, and Anise has done for us something 
no one else has ever done. She has taught us 
to look for good in other people. It’s the way 
she does, and somehow, she always seems to find 
it — in every one! ” 

“ Oh, Lucille! ” Anise protested, but Dick 
spoke up quickly: “ Well, it is there, you know. 
Every one has some good in him — if — if you 
just try to find it. Anise’s way — is the way to 
happiness — I guess.” 

“ No, Dick,” Anise begged, “ I’m not — ” 

Haidee’s piping treble confirmed Dick’s 
words. “ It’s the way to eternal life, the mis¬ 
sionary lady at the school, would say! ” 

“ Oh, no, no, please — ! ” Anise begged, ris- 




A DREAMER OF DREAMS 297 

ing hastily. ‘‘I’m not like that — I mean — 
Oh, don’t you see,” she pleaded, throwing out 
her hands in a pathetic gesture. “I’m not at 
all like that! ” 

She had hoped that, after all, there might be 
no need for her own confession, especially be¬ 
fore Namar, but now there seemed nothing else 
to do. She couldn’t let them praise her when 
she knew she didn’t deserve it. 

“ Don’t you see — ? ” she pleaded, to the sur¬ 
prised little group, “ that I’ve really been selfish, 
all along! ” She turned to Lucille and Dick. 
“You can’t either of you imagine how much I 
resented the fact that you thought I didn’t know 
how to choose my friends, and — and I was de¬ 
termined to show you that I did. I was so cer¬ 
tain I was right! ” 

“ But you were right, Anise,” Dick spoke up. 
“ Hasn’t it just been proven? ” 

“ But don’t you see, Dick, that I couldn’t 
possibly have dreamed — how things would 
turn out ? I simply wanted to be right, when I 
had nothing on which to base my beliefs! ” 

She turned apologetically to Namar. “ Don’t 
you understand,” she begged, “ I was just tak¬ 
ing you — on faith. You might have been — 






298 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

well — things might have been just as Dick 
and Lucille feared. My own stubbornness 
might have led them into danger — You might 
have been — ” She faced him determinedly, 
wondering at the back of her mind, if now she 
was to wreck all his beautiful thoughts of her. 

But it was Dick and Lucille who counted 
most. It was their love and respect she had been 
working for. She would not masquerade be¬ 
fore them, even to retain Namar’s regard. 

“ If you knew,” she hurried on, “ what I 
lived through during that ride here! If any¬ 
thing had happened to either of you — it would 
have been my fault. I could — never — have 
— forgiven — myself.” 

She looked anxiously from one pale face to 
the other. Was it the moonlight which lent 
that radiant glow to each countenance? 

Namar spoke softly. “ Even now, I must say 
again, you are like the soul of America, for 
though you offer your friendliness and interest 
to outsiders, it is your own whom you would 
protect first. Has not America even now, had 
to protect herself from those who would enter 
her threshold for selfish purposes only? Has 
she not had to make certain laws restricting the 





A DREAMER OF DREAMS 299 

entrance of those who are unfit to share her 
benefits with those she loves most. Until their 
worth is proved, why should she accept them 
with possible harm to her own loved ones ? And 
in resenting my presence among you, your 
cousins were like those wise Americans who in¬ 
sist on deporting obnoxious characters.” His 
laugh rang out delightedly, and Anise was sure 
he was visualizing again that scene in the Lyman 
hallway when he had been so rudely ejected. 

“ And you,” he continued, his eyes still rest¬ 
ing on her, “ cannot be blamed for wanting to 
retain the regard of those nearest you. I am 
glad, however, that I have been able to con¬ 
vince you all of my worthiness to share in the 
great benefits of your country, since I have 
dedicated my life to the task of patterning my 
own country on its lines. But I fear it will 
take more years than I — ” 

Haidee’s words shattered the solemnity that 
wrapped them about. “ Soon now, they will be 
going, my brother. Couldn’t we have a game 
of the American football, here, now, that Lucille 
was telling me about? I have many balls. I 
want so badly to see Mr. Dick playing the one- 
half back! ” 


CHAPTER XXII 

THE END OF THE ROAD 

It must have been the gentle flapping of the 
latticed shade that awoke Anise, for there was 
no one stirring in the room when she opened 
her eyes. With surprise, she saw that Lucille’s 
bed was empty. Usually, it was she who awak¬ 
ened first, but the previous night’s adventure 
had been one of such unusual and stirring ex¬ 
periences that she had found it almost impos¬ 
sible to close her eyes. She knew that it must 
have been near daybreak before she had finally 
drifted into slumber. 

She would have liked to lie there and relive 
the events of the previous night, but she knew 
that even now, she might be delaying the others, 
since this was the day of their departure from 
Damascus. Damascus! — a name that would 
always hold the power to thrill and awe her — 
the final scene in that little drama, begun in 
faraway America, that was to change so com- 

300 



THE END OF THE ROAD 301 

pletely the tenor of the lives of each of its actors. 
And who could say what far reaching conse¬ 
quences might still result from it? 

Against her will, the panorama of events 
paraded themselves before her mind, from the 
time when Namar had come unbidden to the 
home of her cousins, to the thrilling climax of 
last night’s happenings. And looking back¬ 
ward, she marveled at the change in her two 
cousins. It didn’t seem possible that those two 
imperious, self-satisfied young people could be 
the same as those who had so humbly and grate¬ 
fully partaken of the hospitality of the House 
of Kanaan. 

And herself? Into her mind flashed a phrase 
she had written many times in a slow, painstak¬ 
ing hand in her copy-book in a certain little 
Kentucky schoolhouse: “ Know thyself.” The 
words had been meaningless then, for she was 
certain that she knew herself quite well — much 
better than any one else possibly could know 
her. Now, she was not so sure. She was seeing 
herself in a new light. In her endeavor to im¬ 
prove her cousins, she had missed entirely the 
fact that she, too, might need improvement. 
She saw quite plainly now, how trying her own 


302 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

actions must have been to them. Even though 
she had been ideally right in many ways, she 
realized that they, too, had been right to a cer¬ 
tain extent. She knew now that she had been 
far too sure of herself. 

Half ashamed, she recalled the confession she 
had made the night before. How had they 
taken it? Namar was the only one who had 
spoken, and he had put a very flattering inter¬ 
pretation on her words, for which she was 
humbly grateful, for in confessing her own 
weaknesses, she had not wanted to hurt him. 
But Lucille had made no comment, nor had 
Dick, except to change the subject. 

The ride home had been a silent one, and each 
of the little party seemed too engrossed with his 
own thoughts to talk. But surely, now that 
they knew how she felt toward them, now that 
she had shown them that they were even more 
to her than her desire to be right, surely they 
must look upon her with a little more affection. 
Was their silence, the silence of disapproval 
or of commendation? Surely they were both 
big-hearted enough to overlook and forgive 
those superior ways and ideas she had tried to 
thrust upon them at the beginning. Could it be 


THE END OF THE ROAD 303 

that, now, they might really love her, almost as 
much as they did each other? Could it be that 
she had at last come to the end of the long, hard 
road she had been traveling — the road that led 
to understanding and a lasting peace between 
them all? 

Her eyes wandered to the little altar with 
its symbols of faith that were held in such rev¬ 
erence by Madame Petot. She had puzzled 
considerably as to why such objects were so 
necessary to the belief of some. Now, it came 
to her quite clearly. The objects themselves 
were of no particular concern. It was what 
they represented — like the piece of tapestry 
there above the altar. Always it would be to 
her, the tangible evidence of the gratitude of 
Haidee; of the painstaking labor of those who 
had so lovingly woven into it the intricate de¬ 
signs of the sacred prayer rug, held in such rev¬ 
erent awe by the members of the Kanaan house¬ 
hold. 

With a little start of recollection, she sat up. 
The prayer rug that matched the tapestry! 
Perhaps it would not be too late to find it, if 
they searched well. To own even an imitation 
of the treasured rug of the Kanaans would be 



304 ONE GIRL’S WAY 

the source of more pleasure than an authentic 
one which lacked any intimate associations. 
She moved quickly to the closet which held her 
apparel for the morning, but half-way across 
the room, she stopped and stared in wonder at 
the foot of Madame’s altar. There on the floor 
was the very rug for which she longed! She 
rubbed her eyes, then stared again. 

With a little cry of pleasure, she gathered it 
up in her arms, then spread it out on the bed 
to gloat over its beautiful colors, and ponder 
as to the meanings of its intricate designs. She 
remembered the day she had first seen it in the 
bazaar, when Namar’s strange emotions had 
bewildered and frightened her, and her disap¬ 
pointment at finding the merchant gone when 
they went back for it. 

But how came it here? Dick, of course, was 
the solution. It was his way of showing his 
approval of her. No doubt he had come across 
it early that morning in the bazaar, and know¬ 
ing it was the one thing she wanted, had pur¬ 
chased it for her. Yes, she knew it was Dick 
that she would have to thank. 

She heard voices from the direction of the 
little arbor at the far end of the courtyard. 


THE END OF THE ROAD 305 

Perhaps they meant to breakfast there, as they 
did on occasions, and were awaiting her. 
Quickly she dressed and hurried down, but at 
the doorway, she paused uncertainly. She 
must not keep them waiting too long. 

Her uncle, looking singularly youthful, in a 
soft white shirt, open at the throat, and white 
linen knickers, was lounging in a wicker chair, 
and smiling happily down into the eyes of Dick, 
who squatted on the yellow sand at his feet. Lu¬ 
cille, also in riding-clothes, perched on one arm 
of her father’s chair, was caressing his cheek 
with one hand, while the other dangled a spray 
of bougainvillaea that she had broken from the 
vine overhead, in Dick’s direction. 

It was a scene of such complete contentment, 
such perfect accord, that to Anise, gazing wist¬ 
fully upon them, it seemed that there couldn’t 
possibly be room in their hearts or thoughts for 
any one else. 

Had they, in finding each other, shut her out? 
After all, she was not one of them, and never 
would be, no matter how kind they were. Again 
that old wave of loneliness swept over her, and 
the sick desire to be back again in Aunt Letty’s 
farmhouse. There could never be any doubt 


306 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


in her mind as to Aunt Letty’s love for her. 
There, life had been so sweet, so simple, so free 
from the complex situations of this world of her 
cousins. 

But her unhappy thoughts took sudden 
flight when she saw Dick and Lucille jump to 
their feet and hurry toward her. 

“You were sleeping so soundly, I hated to 
disturb you,” Lucille exclaimed. “ Did you 
see the rug? I thought surely you’d waken 
when I took it in! ” 

“ Did I ? ” Anise gave Dick a glowing smile. 
“ It was so lovely of you, Dick. I’m afraid I’d 
have felt cheated if we’d left Damascus without 
it. I can’t tell you how much I thank you! ” 

“ Thank me? ” exclaimed Dick. “ What did 
I have to do with it? ” 

“ Oh, then — ” She turned to her uncle 
whose smile held a hint of mystery. “ Then 
it was you. Uncle Sidney! After all, I’d rather 
have an imitation of the Kanaan’s rug, than a 
dozen others that are real.” 

“ Imitation? Say— ! ” Dick gave her a 
reproachful glance. “ After all those books 
you’ve been reading on the subject since we 
left America, do you mean to say you can’t tell 


THE END OF THE ROAD 307 

an imitation from the real thing! ’’ Dick’s pre¬ 
tense of scorn was lost on her. 

“ The real thing — ? ” She stared from one 
to the other of the smiling faces about her. “ I 
didn’t even consider— Why, it couldn’t be 
that, you know, since there is only one — ” 

“ But it is. Anise,” her uncle remarked, toss¬ 
ing back a lock of hair that had tumbled over 
his forehead, somewhat in the manner of the 
brown lock Lucille was always tossing back 
from her eyes. “ Hussein Kanaan sent it early 
this morning. It is a parting gift, and signi¬ 
fies the regard which the Kanaan household 
feel for you.” 

“ Oh, Uncle Sidney!” her voice trembling 
with awe. “ But I couldn’t keep it. We must 
return it. I don’t deserve it.” 

Her uncle shook his head. “ They would be 
hurt beyond measure! ” 

“ Perhaps it is as Haidee would say,” Lucille 
remarked. “ Since they have turned Christian, 
they do not need prayer rugs on which to pray.” 

“ Talk about gratitude,” Dick observed, 
thoughtfully. “ Wasn’t it Dr. Johnson who 
said, ‘ Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation; 
you do not find it among gross people ’? We 



308 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

surely did do these folks a lot of injustice. 
After all, I wouldn’t doubt but that there’s quite 
a lot we might learn from them.” 

“ I only hope,” Lucille remarked, “ that when 
Namar comes to America again, we’ll have a 
chance to make up to him for — ” 

“ So he’s returning, then? ” her father mused 
thoughtfully. “ I hadn’t thought to ask him, 
last night.” 

“ Yes,” Lucille returned, “ though not soon. 
He feels he is needed here, now, but later, he 
may bring Haidee. She has made him prom¬ 
ise — ” She broke off abruptly and stared 
thoughtfully over Dick’s head. “ You see,” 
she went on, after a pause, ‘‘ Haidee is just at 
the impressionable age. I think he’s rather wise 
to wait until she is older. To tell the truth, he’s 
much wiser than I gave him credit for being. 
He knows that the only thing for the different 
races to do is to stick to their own kinds.” 

She shot a swift appraising glance at Anise, 
who looked up with a disarming smile. And 
as Lucille seemed reluctant to say more. Anise 
continued the explanation. “ You see. Uncle 
Sidney, the traditions of each race are so dif¬ 
ferent. Oh, I wish you could have heard him! 



THE END OF THE ROAD 309 

He explained it all so beautifully. He said 
that he thought God wanted the races to be dif¬ 
ferent, or he would not have made them so, and 
that each must love his own the most.” She 
smiled brightly upon them. “ I believe he is 
just a little afraid that Haidee might come to 
love America better than her own land. You 
could hardly blame him, could you, for want¬ 
ing-?” 

“ No. He is a very wise young man,” her 
uncle said. ‘‘ I am glad that you all have dis¬ 
covered the fact — among other things.” His 
eyes twinkled humorously upon them, but in 
them was also a look of great relief. 

Lucille was regarding him with an affectation 
of outraged dignity. ‘‘ Why don’t you come 
right out, and say, ‘ I told you so! ’ No, we 
haven’t forgotten how you sided with Anise and 
predicted that, some day — I believe that you 
knew about him, all along, and thought it would 
be a good lesson to us, if we found out for 
ourselves! ” 

“ Indeed I did not! ” he defended himself, 
laughingly. “ It did not occur to me to think 
that"he was the son of Hussein Kanaan! Years 
ago, when I was in Syria, I understood that 



310 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

Kanaan had a son at school in England, but I 
had never seen him. The name, ‘ Harjad 
was new to me. I merely judged him by his 
manner and his appearance. He seemed to me, 
as he did to Anise, rather superior to most col¬ 
lege youths.” 

“ Well, I must say that Dick and I have 
suffered our share for our suspicions of him! 
You can’t imagine how worried we’ve been, ex¬ 
pecting Anise to be kidnapped at any moment.” 

Mr. Lyman threw back his head in a hearty 
laugh. “ I must admit that you worked up a 
rather convincing case against him. I’d almost 
have believed in his duplicity myself, if you had 
confided in me.” His face sobered. “ It goes 
to show just how prejudices and misunder¬ 
standings are often built up out of little. The 
different races know so little of each other, and 
in their ignorance often entertain the most un¬ 
just suspicions of each other. To be sure, there 
are many customs and practices in other coun¬ 
tries that we can’t reconcile ourselves to, but 
when you come down to rock bottom, you’ll 
find that each is striving to do the thing that 
he considers right, and that which will help his 
country most.” 


THE END OF THE ROAD 311 

“ But Uncle Sidney — ” Anise broke in, a 
slow flush mounting to her eyes. “ Lucille and 
Dick — ” she glanced quickly from one to the 
other, then down at the yellow sand into which 
she dug the toe of one boot, “ they were right, 
you know, in a way. Namar might have been 
all they thought. I’ve learned so many things 
since we left America. I know now, that one 
must not trust too blindly. You see, I’ve al¬ 
ways been so sure of my own opinions.” 

“ Aw, Anise — ” Dick protested, plainly em¬ 
barrassed as were the others, at her earnestness, 
“ that’s all over now. You said enough last 
night.” 

“ But I want Uncle Sidney to know,” her 
flush deepening. “ You see, I had confided my 
opinions to him, and I want him to know that 
I wasn’t so nearly right as I thought I was.” 

She turned again to her uncle. “ I’ve always 
been so sure of myself.” She gazed remi¬ 
niscently beyond the little group toward the 
arched gateway of the courtyard. “ Once 
when I was very small. Aunt Letty pointed 
out a very beautiful vine growing around a big 
tree in the woods. She said I mustn’t touch 
it as it was poison. I thought to myself that 




312 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 

surely God wouldn’t make a beautiful vine 
like that, and spoil it by making it poison. And 
so I went back and touched it, in fact I gathered 
several of the leaves to show Aunt Letty she 
was mistaken.” 

She stopped and looked ruefully down at 
her hands. “I’m sure you all know what poison 
ivy does to one.” 

There was an amused laugh at her expense. 

“ But even that didn’t teach me. I’ve been 
just that way all my life. Once I found a 
strange chicken in the road. I was so pleased 
because it didn’t run from me. I took it home 
and put it in the henhouse. I didn’t know it 
was sick. Aunt Letty lost nearly all her hens.” 

“ Why, Anise — ” Lucille broke in. “ You 
don’t need to tell us all those things! We’ve 
all done things we shouldn’t have! ” 

“ But don’t you see — I must tell you! 
Namar might have been like the sick chicken, 
and you— and — and Dick — ” The lump in 
her throat wouldn’t go down. She turned away 
from them quickly lest they see the mist that 
had come into her eyes. 

Dick spoke up thoughtfully. “ But Namar 
was hardly like your sick chicken. Anise, even 






THE END OF THE ROAD 313 


though Lucille and I did think so. In my 
opinion, it’s fellows like him, that this country 
needs. Who knows but that he may do for it 
as much as Washington or Lincoln did for ours. 
He’s got vision, that fellow has, as well as 
brains.” 

The silence that followed this, was broken by 
Mr. Lyman who informed Cecile who had been 
hovering near, that they were ready for their 
breakfast. Then he drew from his pocket a 
letter. 

“ Letty has written, begging us to shorten 
our trip by two months, so that she may have 
Anise again before school starts next fall.” 

His eyes traveled about the little group, and 
Anise wondered at the sudden silence that fell 
upon them. 

It was broken by Lucille. “ Oh, Dad, you’re 
not going to let her take Anise from us, now^ 
are you? ” 

And Dick murmured, with a scowl at the 
toes of his boots: “ Aw, Dad! She’s had Anise, 
so long, but we — 

Anise’s heart was beating a staccato tattoo 
against her ribs. She stooped to refasten the 
buckle of one boot, glad of the opportunity of 


314 


ONE GIRL’S WAY 


hiding her eyes, and when she raised her head, 
she was looking into a pair of the most under¬ 
standing gray eyes she had met in the whole 
course of her seventeen years. 

“ I think,” her uncle said, to whom the gray 
eyes belonged, “ we’ll have to leave it to Anise 
to decide.” 

She looked from one to the other, and knew at 
last that she had reached the haven she had 
longed for — a lasting place in the hearts of 
her cousins. 

“ I think,” she said, softly, “ that now. I’ll 
always stay with you, but — couldn’t we all 
go to Aunt Letty’s for a visit? She’s always 
wanted to know Lucille and Dick.” 

“ Just exactly what I was going to suggest,” 
exclaimed Dick. ‘‘ I think Sis and I have 
missed a lot by not knowing Aunt Letty! ” he 
added, with a fond look into Anise’s shining 
eyes. 


The End 





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